Miami artist drives illegal immigration video sculpture to Presidential Conventions

Miami Beach, FL, August 20, 2008 - Miami-based artist, Steven Gagnon is driving his video installation, the „Border Cruiser“ to Denver and Minneapolis to present at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to bring attention to the plight of undocumented immigrants.

The „Border Cruiser“ is a video installation in a former police car. Projected from inside onto the rear windows of the vehicle is a Brazilian immigrant who tells his ordeal of how he entered the United States illegally and the difficulties he faces once he is in the country. The video sculpture is the fourth project in an ever expanding body of work and marks the first that maintains the full functionality of the automobile while the videos are playing. The work’s intent is to heighten public awareness of the dangers and hardships that immigrants face who enter the country illegally to find work.

The project was well received at its debut during ArtBasel Miami Beach and later FotoFest in Houston. The work was presented at Fountain Miami and Bridge Miami satellite art fairs as well as driving on the streets of Miami Beach and Miami to various evening events and parties during the ArtBasel week.

Gagnon’s work has been written up in the Wall Street Journal, published in Harper’s Magazine, appeared on billboards around the country, and exhibited internationally in numerous art fairs, museums, and galleries over the last decade. His artwork is in public and corporate collections, including: the Federal Reserve Board; the Art Museum of South Texas; and American Bank, as well as, in private collections including: art collector, Richard Shack; and author, Andrew Tobias.

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For more information please contact the artist Steven Gagnon via e-mail: steven@stevengagnon.com or by phone: 305 528 6405.

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Democratic National Convention

Exhibition:
Buffalo Exchange in the Captial Hill District
230 East 13th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203

Duration:
Aug. 25th - 28th
Monday to Thursday,
Nightly 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Republic National Convention

Exhibition:
Intermedia Arts, The Unconvention Headquarters
2822 Lyndale Ave. South
Minneapolis, MN 55408

Duration:
Sep. 31st - Sept. 4th
Monday to Thursday,
Nightly 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.