April 11, 2016 / Modified apr 11, 2016 3:37 p.m.

Project Will 'Erase' the US-Mexico Border, Artists Say

Painting fence sky blue transforms it under 'Borrando la Frontera.'

Erasing the border Spot 2
Borrando la Frontera

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A 20-foot steel curtain divides parts of the Arizona-Sonora Border. A group of international artists say their plan is to erase the border using art.

As part of a massive public art project called Borrando la Frontera, dozens of artists showed up last weekend in Juarez, Mexicali and Agua Prieta to paint out the border from grey to sky blue.

“At first, you see people starting to paint, and then you see that fence actually starting to disappear,” said Michael Soto from the Arizona Artes Group.

Erasing the Border1
Borrando la Frontera

Soto also coordinated live satellite feeds of the three locations that were viewed from all over the world.

“For me, when I saw the fence really disappear and blend in, I felt this incredible feeling of connectedness," Soto said. "And what it would be like if we were working on building a relationship with Mexico instead of more fences.”

The objective is to create this optical illusion at every major border crossing.

Borrado la Frontera is occurring on the Mexican side of the border. U.S. officials have refused permission to allow the same on the U.S. side.

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