Artist’s Statement

El muro [The Wall] was inspired by Refugio [Refuge] (2017) by Miguel del Arco, a play about a Middle Eastern migrant, Farid, who, after losing his wife and son while crossing the sea, is taken into the home of a corrupt Spanish politician and his family. One of the major themes within Refugio is the profound isolation that Farid experiences –he feels alone in the midst of ruin and familial dysfunction, held back by linguistic and cultural barriers. In El muro, we adapt Farid’s story to the situation faced by Latin American migrants who move to the United States.

In this contemporary political climate, the intimate experiences of those who cross the border between the United States and Mexico are often overshadowed, if not entirely forgotten. El muro explores the interpersonal effects of this crossing, particularly among the migrants themselves. We focus on representing varying types of distance – distance that exists across each side of the border, between freedom and oppression, between life and death. Many Americans still have harsh preconceptions about migrants, particularly those who are undocumented.

The dialogue within El muro inverts the relation between migrant and native –a conversation that establishes a space to reflect on social and political progress, but also creates an idea of ‘otherness’. The migrant exists solely as a foil to the native, dehumanizing them. El muro, however, humanizes the migrant and engenders a profound empathy toward their experiences.