I developed this program to participate with the artist JR and his worldwide initiative designed to spark conversation about the issues of immigration through his film called, “Ellis”.  For greater community awareness, this program went beyond the Montclair Cooperative School and also involved the Montclair Film Festival, Montclair High School and Rutgers University’s online magazine, Newest Americans.

• Collaborated with James Earle, MHS Principle, Sue Hollenberg, Director of Education MFF to create an assembly for the global film screening of Ellis by the artist JR

• Panel of speakers at assembly included: Marisol Conde-Hernandez, undocumented Rutgers law student and co-founder of NJ Dreamers, Mario Russell, Director of Catholic Charities New York’s Immigrant & Refugee Services Division and Tim Rapheal, Director of The Center for Migration Rutgers University and the Global City. 

• We applied stencil portraits, words and national symbols on reclaimed windows to created an interlocking “wall” of immigration stories from our community

• Conducted community workshops for students and family members to participate in the process

• Installed a 12’ by 20’ wall as a centerpiece of the Audible Lounge space during the Montclair Film Festival and launch party

• Individual windows were auctioned off with proceeds going to charity (Stephan Colbert bought one!)

Immigration Art Installation
20’ wide x 7’ 6” height (2’ pedestal) / 2nd floor wall 10’ wide x 8’ height
58 salvaged windows, 73 participants
46 2x4s, 160 2x2 corner braces, 60 mending plates, and 1,000 screws

In November 2015 the Montclair Cooperative School in conjunction with the Montclair Film Festival and Rutgers University’s Newest American’s on-line magazine held an immigration program at the Montclair High School.  The program included a screening of the movie Ellis directed by JR and a paneled discussion about immigration in America.

Inspired by the discussion, the Montclair Cooperative School’s art teacher, Debbie Harner, wanted to keep the conversation going. This led to the immigration art installation, which was created to visually represent who we are as a nation.  Utilizing street art techniques such as stencils and pasting’s, 7th and 8th graders from the Montclair Cooperative School and high school students from the surrounding area created imagery to tell of their own immigration history and words that tell of the American spirit.

Windows, like the debate around immigration, have two sides and two points of view and this is a concept that was leveraged for the installation. Additionally, the fragility of the glass is a great metaphor for the delicate nature of this national discussion. To create greater impact, the windows were joined creating a wall. This wall not only symbolizes the two sides of the immigration debate but also the wall that has been proposed to block immigrants from entering our country.