Writing on the Wall
On Atlanta's west side there stands a 40'x16' tribute to free expression--The Border Wall. The wall, a public art instillation designed by artist Joseph Guay, was constructed exclusively by undocumented Mexican labor workers. The installation aims to raise social awareness on issues surrounding immigration in the United States.
Upon construction, the wall was decorated by only two graphics: an image of Donald Trump on one side and the official flag of Mexico on the other side. The public was invited to view the installation and add their own expressions to the wall. The wall debuted in July 2017 and will remain on view in Atlanta through December 2017. Learn more about the installation here.
If you study the wall, you see outrage, contempt, pleas for unity, platitudes of inspiration, defiance, and much more. Sitting on an empty lot, the graffitied wall echoes the voices of many. And these voices are not isolated. You may read them on your timeline, or hear them on your radio, or television, or your favorite podcast. In all of this, the wall remains neutral. A platform for expression. A messenger.
There will be a time when history will recount our actions and recall our words and analyze our convictions. A time when our grandchildren will ask where we stood when the lines were drawn in the sand. And this wall is a reflection of that. Beyond this wall there lies an America divided, but justice, equality, and freedom remain absolute and unequivocal ideals. And those absolutes should be the bedrock of our society. Where are those that will stand for the disadvantaged? Where are those that will lend voice to the muted and dismissed? Where are those that will defend black lives, protect brown babies, champion for marginalized women, and shield all those that are persecuted by our society and an unjust system.
It is time to read the writing on the wall, choose a side, and give voice to that which you believe.
Power to the People.
View the photoset of BurbLife-sponsored artist AJ Bank$y at The Border Wall in our new Power to the People t-shirt below.
