The Wall/El Muro

The Wall/El Muro: What Is a Border Wall? examines the border wall from the perspective of architecture and design. By focusing on the built environment, visitors will understand that a border wall makes real—and internationally consequential—something that is otherwise relatively symbolic.

The idea of a new wall is both a continuation of centuries of history and also a new intervention. It is a prime example of the potential of the built world to affect peoples’ lives, as we now see thousands of migrants crossing the border in the midst of changing federal policies. This exhibition addresses the ways in which the architecture and landscape of security surround us and challenge us as we imagine America. The border is a place, but it also looms large as a symbol of both America’s vulnerability and state power.