Héctor Zamora's Lattice Detour at Met Roof Garden Addresses US-Mexico Border Wall

On August 29, 2020, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York inaugurated Lattice Detour, a monumental installation by Mexican artist Héctor Zamora, as part of its Roof Garden Commission series. The work, made from Mexican terracotta bricks crafted by Mexican and Latin American workers, is inspired by the border wall between Mexico and the United States, a project championed by Donald Trump. The bricks are designed to be see-through, suggesting the idea of observing a place beyond reach. Depending on the time of day, the sun casts a shadow that creates an ethereal double on the ground. Zamora, born in Mexico City in 1974 and now based in Lisbon, is known for public space interventions that redefine conventional exhibition spaces, creating metaphorical contrasts between public and private, interior and exterior, random and geometric, real and imaginary. The installation remains on view until December 7, 2020. The article also provides historical context on the US-Mexico border barrier, noting that construction began under President George Bush in 1990, was reinforced in 2005, and became a central issue in Trump's campaign. The art world has responded with works like Ronald Rael's seesaws and Enrique Chiu's mural. The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily overshadowed the issue, but it may resurface in the upcoming election.