Psychological and Physical Borders and their Effects on Personal Identity and Collective Culture

The theme of borders is complex and goes far beyond particular places, it is a recurring theme in society at large. The many complex issues that arise when one talks of borders include the internal and material struggles refugees and other foreigners face when moving from place to place, conflicts between conflicting people groups and wars, and the perception of personal identity being both transient as well as largely based on one’s origins. Many artists have explored this theme from different angles. In addition to all of these ideas, the idea of home and location are eternally interconnected.

Since people’s perceptions of lands and their bounds have changed with time, our perception of these ideas is always in motion. In relation to our own persons and our identities, we have the tendency to either protect ourselves in our own little worlds or to become more globalized and focus on universality in our experiences. In an attempt to portray the universality of human experience, the plight of refugees and wanderers is depicted. We find ourselves in their stories and are able to become one with them and empathize. We are all sojourners on a journey and place plays a large part in the grounding of our personal narratives and lives.

Punjab, India

Henri Cartier-Bresson

1947

Gelatin silver print

1987.1100.168

This photograph of refugees in India portrays the internal struggle and emotional catharsis which refugees seek as part of their journey towards a hopeful future. The refugees depicted are in the middle of an exercise intended to release negative emotions and achieve balance. In the midst of the chaos they are striving for release from the things which hold them back and keep them from living the life they desired.

Vacant House

Byung Jin Kim

2008

Steel wire

Korean Art Museum Association

This sculpture shows the transient idea of home as an empty place left behind by those who wander in search of a new home or identity. Instead of feeling like a cozy home the empty space created between the wires shows us a lack and void where there should be comfort. It reminds us of the plight of those who have no home and are constantly in search of the peace which that physical stability brings.

The Enclave

Richard Mosse

2012-2013

Video installation

Jack Shainman Gallery, New York

This video attempts to portray the horror of wars which have been fought over territories and their effect on the lands where these horrific events have taken place in the Congo. 5 million died because of these ongoing conflicts. Using infrared film which shows the chlorophyll in plants, the landscapes are saturated in red, signifying a blood-soaked landscape. This work questions the viewer’s reaction to artworks portraying the intense realities of other’s lives and our reactions to their struggles from the outside.

Refraction

Ai Weiwei

2014

Installation

New Industries Building, Alcatraz

This installation is a wing which is symbolic for the fight for freedom which is imperative and center in the fight for identity and personal happiness. Weiwei conveys the sense of longing for freedom which all of us have, particularly those who are victims of governmental oppression or inflicted from outside sources. In an effort to build a better future for ourselves we hope for what we do not have and work for our freedom. This work was originally on display in a prison and barely visible to the outside world. In this exhibition it is also isolated from the other works and surrounded by walls in order to convey the feeling of a cage which needs to set prisoners free.

Deadsee

Sigalit Landau

2005

Video

Tel Aviv Museum of Art

By implicating herself into the environment, the Israeli artist, Landau, seeks to become one with what surrounds her, and she allows place to dictate her identity and even the form of her body. She shows us that place is instrumental in forming our outlook and the way we react, even bodily, to what is taking place in our environment. The artist herself is depicted floating on the waters of the Dead Sea, surrounded by watermelons, which, being cut, are open to the affliction of the waters as well as she is.

White Ones

Gyung-su An

2015

Acrylic on canvas

Gyeonggi Creation Center

This work is a reflection on a small territory, by the artist. His careful inspection of place and location close in proximity to him conveys the idea that regardless of what place we are looking at careful inspection helps us to understand the complexities of the world surrounding us. By returning to a place again and again we perceive different details and are able to observe with more understanding.