LARGEST COMMON DIVIDER

Installation in public space, 3 objects, concrete, steel, tin, fence, Vienna, AT, 2014-2015

USA/MEXICO BARRIER (8 x 3 m)
ISRAEL/WEST BANK WALL (6 x 5 m)
BELFAST PEACE LINE (6 x 7 m).

Part of main-project COMMON DIVIDER

The art project LARGEST COMMON DIVIDER picks representative border walls in their recognizable basic forms and symbolically re-erects them elsewhere. The art objects mimic the USA/Mexico barrier, the Belfast Peace Line and Israel/West Bank wall. Extracted from their geographic, political, and social context, these objects illustrate inter-cultural and societal conflicts where they are less visible and seek to stimulate reflection and dialog. By the process of building and dismantling these up to 7 meters tall, reinforced concrete walls the artist shows how, being aware of, marking, and crossing borders is tied to ritualized repetition.

Political intervention

The ISRAEL/WEST BANK WALL was not installed as planned in downtown Vienna, consciously bordering on a historically sensitive locale called ‘Morzinplatz’, due to last minute political interventions, despite final production and building permissions. The Viennese Cultural Ministry asked to not set up the walls.
The compromise ‘offer’ to install this wall at a less contentious location was rejected by the artist for conceptual reasons. More on: BLANK SPACE .

Map details: 1. BELFAST PEACE LINE, 2. ISRAEL/WEST BANK WALL, 3. USA/MEXICO BARRIER

Partners and sponsors

KÖR GmbH – art in public space Vienna, Municipal District Offices of the 1st, 5th and 7th districts of Vienna, BMUKK – Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture Vienna, K2, werkraum wien