Artists Redefine The Border
A man calling himself a 'border deconstructionist' is the subject of a story in Thursday's Los Angeles Times.
Glenn Weyant is a former journalism professor turned stay-at-home dad who makes music out of the 17-foot steel poles that divide the United States from Mexico. Weyant "plays" the border wall, creating a solo symphony of otherworldly sounds.
He practices his art along the Arizona border, sometimes within sight of curious Border Patrol agents. The Times writes about one agent who radioed his station to say, "There's a guy playing the wall. Is he allowed to do that?"
Weyant told the Times he is drawn to unusual soundscapes and wants to redefine the harsh symbolism evoked by the border wall.
The U.S.-Mexico border has long been an inspiration to artists.
Brooklyn-based photographer Stefan Falke spent the better part of 2013 taking pictures of some of those artists. In the end he documented the work of 180 artists from the West Coast to the Gulf of Mexico. His exhibit is now touring the country and currently showing in McAllen, Texas.
Last year when the Border Patrol went to replace 900 feet of the fence near Imperial Beach, Calif., a group of locals requested to keep a section covered in graffiti art. The group had plans to incorporate the fence in some future architectural or art project.
