By the Night Tide, 1994

Installed on the Mexican side of the border, By the Night Tide/Junto a la marea nocturna consisted of three somewhat hopeless boats made of wire mesh. El Topo (the Mole), El Sapo (the Toad), and El Pollo (the Chicken) were installed on the beach adjacent to the then recently-installed metal border fence extending 1,200 meters into the Pacific Ocean. Each boat was outfitted with a catapult aimed to launch retaliatory coconuts over the metal fence into the US. The artist arranged with the owner of a fresh fruit and ice cream kiosk located near the beach to keep the catapults “armed” with coconuts at all times during the public phase of INSITE 94.

Curator: Walther Boelsterly
Organizer: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes on behalf of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes
Venue: Playas de Tijuana