A Response to JR’s “Conflict Zone” US/Mexico Border Installation (Oct. 26, 2017)
Undocumented artists have been invisibilized by the art world and the immigrant rights movement. They have been seen as “unprofessional” for not having MFAs; for being poor and not having the money to quit their jobs and live as “starving artists”; and for being disabled.
However, the immigrant rights movement has also dismissed artists. I have experienced immigrant organizers think of artists at last minute: when a poster is needed, when coding needs to be done, when a dj cancels on an event, etc. Undocumented artists have been invisibilized at multiple fronts: both inside and outside our communities.
When JR installed his piece at the border, I saw undocumented immigrants and art organizations widely share his piece.
I was conflicted.
Although the piece took me back to my crossing, I couldn’t find a convincing statement from the artist.
I urge us to ask: who gets to make art out of experiences of the marginalized? Who is allowed to construct narratives?
I say all this because I cannot look at JR’s work and feel sincerity from him; I cannot and do not trust him. Part of his bio and artist statement express a commitment to making art that identifies and addresses “conflict zones.” At first glance, this form of art-making has the potential to provide a liberatory art praxis. Some might call it “radical.” But, at the expense of whom?
Who must JR walk over to rise?