THE WALL (2023)

This work originated as a continuation of the Burning Man project in Nevada, USA, where Tom Herck created a nine-meter-high installation called "The Wall," referring to Trump's idea of building a wall between Mexico and the US, a highly polarizing topic at that time and still today in the United States.

The installation featured a monumental nine-meter-high Mexican piñata placed in front of a wall, inspired by the story of the Trojan horse. Integrated with clothing worn by Burning Man festival participants, the installation aimed to stimulate dialogue on a controversial subject.The clothing and colors of the piñata aren't just decorative; they represent human DNA, emphasizing that despite differences, it's essential to engage in dialogue on polarized topics. Our opinions may differ, but our DNA is "human." When dialogue ceases, violence often remains.

After removing the clothing before burning the installation at the Burning Man festival, they were sent to the artist's studio in Belgium.Four years after the installation in the US titled "The Wall," he created an extension of the installation.The new work includes a corten steel structure inspired by Trump's wall, adopting the same material form.

Notably, authentic medical tubes, traditionally used for blood collection, now filled with fabric remnants from the original installation in the Nevada desert. This symbolizes the symbolic blending of DNA and diverse opinions around this polarized topic. Burned wooden pieces instead of corten steel bars in the work recall the burning of the wooden wall during the Burning Man festival.

The holes in the plates where the tubes with DNA are placed are always open in the medical world. In this work, we see a randomness in the holes created in the metal, sometimes absent. This represents not only the DNA of opinions but also the randomness and luck factor of people who may or may not be able to "cross" the wall.