How Trump’s wall inspired the creation of a human wall in Charlotte
A small group of people will stand together and form a human wall Sunday inside Studio 1212 on 10th Street. And then others will try to break it down.
“Me and anyone who is inspired will attempt to break through the wall,” said local artist LinSun, who orchestrated the wall. “And once they do, they will share a gesture, thought, poem, etc. to share their insight about breaking barriers and walls within the personal or social aspects.”
This is just one performance piece in 30-year-old artist Kati Simon’s first art exhibit, “The Wall,” which will run one day only at Studio 1212 (1212 E. 10th St.) on Sunday, March 26. The idea stems from her admiration for the film “Pink Floyd: The Wall,” in which a rock star confronts his madness while socially and physically isolated from others.
Simon was inspired by the possibility of transformation, from the way the past few years of her life have changed through performance art, teaching yoga and a cross-country trek with her husband — to the way anger, fear, conflict and different viewpoints have surfaced since the 2016 presidential election.
“I was inspired to share perspectives, and different perspectives,” said Simon, who is artistically known as “Luvly Moonwall.”
So she pulled together a diverse group of artists who would be “passionate about spreading positivity and peace and love and community, and coming together despite our differences,” she said.
LinSun’s Human Wall was initially inspired by the border wall proposed by the Trump administration.
“Then I thought about personal walls humans build within themselves and with each other,” LinSun said. “I want people to connect with their own walls. I want people to feel uncomfortable, be challenged and open to breaking through their own walls for transformation.”
While some of the art in “The Wall” exhibit may reflect political sentiments, most will convey community viewpoints and the idea of changing the world with “welcoming energy.”
Simon pointed out that there are so many metaphorical walls we build in our families, in our peer groups and around ourselves.
Those walls limit us.
About 15 artists will be displaying their interpretations of walls during the event, which will run 5 p.m.-midnight March 26. An entry fee of $5-$10 (the suggested donation) will support the organizers and the artists. Their works range from photography to mixed media.
Simon’s vision for this art event is for artists “to speak their truth, to reflect what they are seeing on a daily basis and how they feel,” she said. “But also, how can we use our art and our voices and our movement … to make the world a better place … to be positive influences?”
Image: Bob Morgan
This story was originally published March 20, 2017 at 11:00 PM with the headline "How Trump’s wall inspired the creation of a human wall in Charlotte."