Melanie Smith

For her INSITE97 project, Melanie Smith created The Tourists’ Guide to San Diego and Tijuana/La guia turistica de San Diego y Tijuana, an installation at 958 Fifth Avenue in downtown San Diego. A spoof on a tourist information agency, the installation included, among other elements, large photographs of the region, postcards with commonly found imagery from the local landscape and city, and a tourist guidebook listing on the back the various hot spots in the city. The installation was a commentary on the massive tourism industry in San Diego and Tijuana, and the loss of borders when dealing with consumers and their material desires.

Curators: Jessica Bradley, Olivier Debroise, Ivo Mesquita, and Sally Yard
Venue: 958 Fifth Avenue, San Diego

Acknowledgments