Who is accepted in a community? What does it mean to be an “alien” or a citizen? Who has the power and the ability to dictate the requirements of naturalization? How have these requirements changed through time?

AlieNation is a research-based, photographic installation inspired by the legal term, “alien.” It explores immigration law and citizenship throughout US history. Natural patterns of movement across time and space encounter the austerity of legislature ingrained within the American social fabric. Symbolizing the allure of the United States as a land of promise, the viewer is drawn in by a large San Francisco nightscape that portrays patterns of movement on land, air, and sea. Flanking the nightscape are thin, vertical photographs that capture the motion of star trails across sections of the sky. They are moving in different directions to suggest the diversity of migration patterns and experiences. Operating on a diverging trajectory are sets of immigration laws, which run counter to the human reality of migration.

The audio testimonies accompanying the installation express the lived experiences of immigrants as well as their resilience and dignity. These testimonies are made possible courtesy of Manzanar National Historic Site Collection, Densho, University of Texas at El Paso Library Special Collections Department, the Statue of Liberty National Monument, and Witness Collaborative, a project initiated by the artist and recipient of the San Francisco Artist Grant.