Art and Immigration: Contemporary Methods of Technology and Activism

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This paper addresses the use of technology and contemporary artistic methods in the ongoing debate on immigrant rights. Personal electronic devices and new approaches to display practices offer immersive experiences in a technology-focused world. Through virtual reality apps and technology, artists are addressing human experiences at the Mexico–US border. Viewers are compelled to interact with reality—whether concrete or augmented. More traditional forms of public art are also explored to provide historical context of the activism behind murals and public painting. Through this study, my findings prove that artists are drawing on a rich history of social activism in order to employ distinctively contemporary and innovative techniques to engage viewers. This proves to be unique and revolutionary in that both artists and average hand-held device users interact with and face humanitarian crises in profound and personal ways.