One Way Mirror

One Way Mirror

One-Way Mirror examines the border fence along the Mexico–U.S. boundary as a physical as well as architectural demarcation of territory. The immersive space includes a sculptural wall that references the fence and monumental video projections evocative of the border landscape. The wall or fence, composed of one-way surveillance glass, is transparent on one side while the other side is semi-opaque.

The Mexico and U.S. landscapes, each represented in a single video channel, have unique fence construction on each side. For the U.S., you see the blue sky with clouds, and then red bars appear as the sun sets in the west.. The bars are based on the proportions of the border fence and as they repeat they become an element within the American flag. The Xs superimposed on the Mexico sunrise footage are taken from the fence’s barricades.

The reality for people who live with the border wall versus the understanding of it for people who engage with it via media outlets is completely different. One-Way Mirror is a way of starting a conversation regardless of political disagreements and an opportunity to plant the seed of understanding or compassion.

2017, HD video, audio, steel, acrylic, marine painting, tinting. Exhibited as part of Mi Tierra: Contemporary Artists Explore Place, Denver Art Museum. Steel Frame fabrication: Demiurge Design. Curator, Becky Ruth Hart, Vicki and Kent Logan Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. Photo Credit: Wes Magar.