Tom Kiefer/INSTITUTE

While working as a janitor at a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility from 2003 – 2014, Kiefer witnessed first-hand the disposal of migrants’ personal belongings deemed “non-essential” by border agents during the first stages of processing.

Kiefer began to look at the story of the passage and de-humanization of people coming into the U.S. through the bulk collection and photographing of discarded items, such as toothbrushes, socks, shoes, underwear, pants, shirts, jackets, bibles, wallets, keys, coins, jewelry, pre-paid telephone calling-cards, water, food, soap, deodorant, medicine, birth control pills, blankets and rosaries.

There is something inherently disturbing behind many of the images presented in El Sueño Americano that defies logical and rational explanation: Why was all this thrown away?

Artist Tom Kiefer will address this issue and more as he discusses his El Sueño Americano project in an Artist Talk on Wednesday, May 18 from 7 – 8:30pm in Gallery 4. Kiefer will also be signing copies of the exhibition catalogue, and El Sueño Americano will be on view in Gallery 4 from April 19 through June 18.