Giant portrait of toddler appears over US-Mexico border wall
The photo of a giant toddler stands in Mexico and peers over a wall
dividing the country from the United States. The child appeared on the
wall after Trump said he would end DACA which has allowed young
immigrants who were brought to the US without documents as children to
remain in the country.
The smiling boy appears to grip the barrier with his fingers while
looking over it. The cut-out of the boy stands nearly 65 feet (20
metres) tall and was erected by a French artist who goes by the name JR.
It is meant to prompt discussion of immigration.
On Friday, a steady stream of people drove to the remote section of
the wall near the Tecate border crossing about 40 miles (64km)
south-east of San Diego. Border Patrol agents warned visitors to keep
the dirt road clear for their patrols and not pass anything through the
fence.
Elmond Davantes, a software developer from Carlsbad, California, took photos from the US side of the wall.
"It’s larger than life," he said. "It just draws attention to the whole issue in a positive way."
On the Mexican side, families scrambled down a scrubby hillside to
take selfies with the artwork. Children in school uniforms played tag
under the scaffolding supporting the photo. People on each side of the
wall waved to each other. Salma Montoya, 18, a student in Tecate said
her town is abuzz about it.
"It’s beautiful," Salma said.
JR has done other large-scale portraits around the world, with much
of his recent work focused on immigrants. He told reporters at
Wednesday’s unveiling of the portrait that he was spurred by a dream in
which he imagined a toddler looking over the border wall.
"And when I woke up, I wondered: 'What was he thinking?'" he said.
"Like for us we know all the implications, what it represents, how it
divides, but for a kid, I didn’t have the answer."
A year later when JR was scouting for the perfect spot for his
project, he noticed a house in Tecate near the border wall. He and a
Mexican friend knocked on the door to see about the possibility of
locating it around there. After they drove away, it occurred to him that
the 1-year-old at the home who had been staring at them reminded him of
the boy he had dreamed about.
JR and his friend immediately went back. JR asked the woman if he
could photograph her son. She knew his work and agreed. JR said he did
not intend for the project in Tecate to coincide with the news about
Trump ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known
as DACA.
This will not be the first time a piece of art is being placed on the
wall. Artists and activists have often used the 650 miles of existing
wall and fencing between the US and Mexico as a blank canvas. Musicians
have played simultaneously on both sides. A giant wooden Trojan-style
horse was once parked near a crossing in Tijuana. There have been
volleyball games and church services held simultaneously on each side of
the border. Sections of wall on the Mexican side have been covered with
paintings of everything from butterflies to an upside-down American
flag.
JR has erected other large-scale portraits in the slums of Paris,
from the top of buildings in Rio de Janeiro, and set up giant photo
booths from Israel and Palestine to the United States. His latest piece
on the US-Mexico border wall will remain in Tecate for a month. JR hopes
people will view it from each side.
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