Consuelo Jimenez Underwood American, b. 1949

Representing the Red-Tailed Texas Blackbird, a species which migrates back and forth between Mexico and the U.S., the red strips of fabric are forcibly separated by long, dark, and narrow weavings which resemble sections of the border wall. The artist states, “Invariably, as the main flock passes north over the border, a small group will dive and slam right into the wall, perishing instantly. Broken birds fall, to be devoured by the harsh ecosystem of the borderlands. The moment of impact, the violence, the sorrow, the mystery of this frequent occurrence haunts me.”

"A couple of years ago, while installing an exhibition at the Fuller Craft Museum, an educator shared with me an article by Christa Schyler titled “Sacrificial Land”, a photo documentary of the environmental impact of the border wall between Mexico and the US. The image of a flock of Texas red-winged blackbirds as they confronted the US/MX border fence, was haunting. Once again the “border” affected the migratory process for numerous American aviary species. Many of these “undocumented” birds collide into the fence either purposely or in error. The impact invariably brings injury to the undocumented aviary victims." Consuelo Jimenez Underwood