Cox, B. Shawn

B. Shawn Cox
Austin, TX

Celebrate v. Isolate
I believe this project as a catalyst to stimulate dialogue regarding immigration and current solutions proposed. Regardless of anyone’s political stance, buildhopenotwalls is a timely and important exhibition to afford focus as well as open commentary about our country’s and our government’s stance issues related to immigration.

My inspiration for this piece came from two opposed “wise” and well-known platitudes regarding walls. First , “Good fences make good neighbors” (Robert Frost) and second “ “Boundaries don’t keep other people out, they fence you in.” (anon). The first an admonition of defining boundaries both physical and psychological to set and maintain a status quo and the second an inquiry as to the risk of isolation by chosen separation to attempt to perpetuate that status quo. For me, the question becomes how should any two sovereign nations balance their control over the diversity and uniqueness of their given citizens?

Do we as a nation support a stance toward isolating ourselves in an effort to maintain what we are or do we tend toward celebrating the diversity of the rest of the world and to what degree to what extent?