Ellen C. Caldwell | ECLAIRE.me

The interviewees remind us of a history that is necessary, timely, and beyond relevant—of our nation’s immigration laws, policies and prejudices; of the architecture granting obstruction or entry in the U.S.; and more personally of the lives, loves, and locations people gave up to journey to an unknown place, often alone as outsiders, and of course, as dreamers.

Given that this revisited version of Bone-Grass Boy is traversing the U.S. right now, that desire for it to speak to future generations feels particularly prescient in asserting its ongoing relevance and broadcasting its resonating voice.

The exhibit’s brochure described the maps in the show as bearing witness and “testifying to the criminal regimes that force people into dangerous journeys and that seek to curtail, control and interrupt their crossings.” Through a variety of maps and media, It is obvious from the map succeeds at challenging viewers to see a multiplicity of realities and that in fact “nothing is obvious” when it comes to how society deals with migration, migrant rights, monitoring migrant vessels, and movements of a people.

Given the current political climate in the U.S. and abroad, as well as this age of post-truths and alternative facts, Durant’s work is both appropriate and necessary. The Hammer Museum even recently put his famous piece, End White Supremacy, back on view because of its timely nature. I caught up with Durant to discuss his process, motivations, and upcoming plans.