This installation was temporary set up in the Rio Grande Valley along the border fence. This fence runs in fits and starts for many miles along the border with Mexico. The piece consist of 11 panels standing vertically to the border fence. They form 10 passageways, 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Each panel is covered by handwoven material. The warp is of colorful cotton thread. The weft consists of densely beaten plastic bags, recycled from the plastic wrappers of various newspapers. The bags come in many colors, from very soft neutral to strong orange and turquoise colors with some writing on them. The pattern woven into the pieces will be old traditional twill patterns, providing a nice texture to flat surfaces.

Plastic bags from newspapers symbolize what newspapers give us: a connection to global events as much as to local happenings in our community. These bags are given to me by a vast variety of people of whom I only know a few. Even though the people who will see the installation will never meet the people who provided the materials, they are creating a community. One part would not be possible without the other.

Doerte uses old traditional patterns which give an assurance of familiarity and a connection to our history. All who see this installation will respond in their own way. Her hope is that people will connect emotionally to the pieces and believe in our continued humanity which shows that we have more in common than what separates us.

Image Credits: http://doerteweber.blogspot.com/2014/05/checkpoint-carlos.html