Hostile Terrain 94 Exhibition
Hostile Terrain 94 (HT94) is a participatory art exhibition created by the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP) and directed by UCLA anthropologist Jason De León. Occurring in more than 130 cities globally, the installation raises awareness about the realities of the U.S.-Mexico border, focusing on the deaths that have occurred since 1994 as a result of the Border Patrol policy known as “Prevention Through Deterrence” (PTD). HT94 is realized with the help of local volunteers who record names, age, sex, cause of death, condition of body, and location of recovery on toe tags for each person, which are then pinned on the map in the exact location where those remains were found.
The physical act of writing out the names and information for the dead invites participants to reflect, witness, and stand in solidarity with those who have lost their lives and their surviving communities. This form of public memorialization and mourning also opens opportunities to engage with active conversations related to ongoing migrant rights issues. HT94 renders the human consequences of PTD policies, while also promoting both global and local discourse on migrant labor, detention, and other intersecting topics through collaborative programs with community partners.
LOCATION | The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU is located in the Crimson Cube (on Wilson Road across from Martin Stadium and the CUB) on the WSU Pullman campus. For more information, please visit museum.wsu.edu/about.
