ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL — Operation Gatekeeper is the backdrop of the stunning “Labor Migrant Gulf” exhibit in the Art Gallery.
Photo by Karen Tome
As Operation Gatekeeper polices push migrant death counts past the 10,000 mark, the angry ghosts of dead immigrants haunt the unsettling “Labor Migrant Gulf” at the Southwestern Art Gallery.
Racism and xenophobia buffet migrants in their adoptive lands, leaving proud hardworking people bruised, humiliated and dead.
Visitors get a taste of the dehumanization. At the entrance to the gallery, a lone table awaits patrons. A long white sheet of paper has been rolled out and an inkpad stands by. Entrants stamp the underside of their fists and leave their mark upon the paper, an artistic act of solidarity with the migrant workers this exhibit represents.
Marks on the paper bear a striking resemblance to the “boteh/paisley” symbol that is the exhibit’s main motif. Resembling a teardrop, the symbol represents a myriad of things to many cultures, but to Indian migrant workers it means pay day. Historically these workers were illiterate and when it came time to sign for their pay, they would ink the underside of their fist and leave a boteh. This is an interesting interactive work that allows each patron the opportunity to be a part of a piece of art.
Each wall of the gallery is dedicated to a different subculture. On one wall features three superimposed pictures showing a normal day at the U.S./Mexico border. All of the immigrants, though, have been whited-out and the scenes have lost their sunny California veneer. What are left are pictures of ghosts trying to cross into the U.S. They are unseen to those around them as they swallow their identity and spit out wisps of clouds. These photos demonstrate the invisibility of immigrants and America’s glance-the-other-way attitude towards them.
Photo by Karen Tome
Metal signboards depicting paintings of beloved pets adorn another wall. A red rooster stares out of one above the words “Be Aware of Enlightened Chicken,” a cute little terrier wearing a blue scarf next to the words “Beware of Danger Dog!” is featured in another. These paintings are part of a project called “Nepal Art Dogs,” which strives to give poor, non-working Nepali sign painters’ commissions of artwork to get them enough money to buy food and clothes. Supporters can send a picture of a beloved family pet or animal with a donation to NepalDog.com and the fully-compensated artists produce a colorful and humorous sign featuring the pet. Vibrant colors and interesting subjects make these little signs one of the highlights of the exhibit. Cheerful looks on the pet’s faces stand as a stark contrast to the gloomy surroundings.
Most striking in the exhibit, though, is a piece that focuses on the labor aspect of immigrant life. Dismembered mannequin arms have been pasted onto the wall. They are bruised, burned, disfigured and scratched, resembling the arms of a rotting corpse instead of the faux-happy plastic life mannequins usually depict.
Next to the arms are drawings and pictures of dried cornhusks and vegetables. Los brazos are positioned as if they are trying to crawl up the wall, adding a creepy vibe. These arms accuse us of ignoring their plight, blind to the bigger picture and hurting others without knowing.
“Labor Migrant Gulf” is a rich and solid exhibit. Each piece serves its purpose. Essence and immediacy bleed from each canvas and bludgeons every onlooker.
Art in this exhibit is angry. Angry at the way its subjects are treated, subjected and debased. It demands that migrants to be noticed. They are not invisible ghosts, but flesh and blood, veins and brains. They are people like the rest of us and they demand fairness.
