Artist installs seesaws at border wall so children in the U.S. and Mexico can play together
An artist has installed three pink seesaws at the border wall that divides the United States and Mexico. One side of the seesaw lies in Sunland Park, New Mexico — the other in Anapra, Mexico.
The project was inspired by a drawing from Ronald Real, a professor of architecture at UC Berkeley. Real depicted children on either side of the border wall seesawing with each other in his book, "Borderwall as Architecture: A Manifesto for the U.S.-Mexico Boundary."
Real, along with architect and artist Virginia San Fratello, brought that seesaw drawing to life this week. "One of the most incredible experiences of my and [Virginia San Fratello's] career bringing to life the conceptual drawings of the Teetertotter Wall from 2009 in an event filled with joy, excitement, and togetherness at the borderwall," Real wrote on Instagram.
The two creators of the art installation shared several videos and photos of children and adults on either side of the wall playing together as if the seesaw was on a normal playground. Instead, they were separated by giant slats that divide the two countries on the southern border of the U.S.
In an Instagram post, Real said the wall had become "a literal fulcrum for U.S. - Mexico relations and children and adults were connected in meaningful ways on both sides with the recognition that the actions that take place on one side have a direct consequence on the other side."
Videos of the seesaw installation went viral. Claudia Tristán, director of Latinx messaging for the Beto O'Rourke campaign, called the symbolism of the seesaw "just magical."
Mexican entertainer Mauricio Martinez said the seesaws were a "beautiful reminder that we are connected: what happens on one side impacts the other."
