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arts borders

Brinco

Brinco
With Brinco, Judi Wertheinhas created a project that links migrants’ efforts to cross the border illegally with the increasing global corporatization of goods and labor. The project is a uniquely designed sneaker, trademarked Brinco. The design of the shoe is inspired by information and materials that are relevant to, and could provide assistance to, those illegally crossing the border. Underscoring the tensions sparked by the global spread and mobility of the maquiladora, the sneaker will be manufactured in China. In counterpoint to its potential for utilitarian use by Mexican migrants, the sneaker will be sold as a one-of-a-kind art object and will be available in the United States during inSite_05 in Blends, a high end sneaker store located in Down Town San Diego. In a single object Judi reveals the contradictions between fashion, competition in the manufacturing industry, and migratory flows, themes that lie and the heart of the dynamics of labor geography in today���s world.

23 replies on “Brinco”

This is ridiculous, my family had to wait at Ellis Island for a chance to come here and work. You can’t have people encouraged to break the law to come in here and become illegal workers!!

So, Mr. Deluca, your family waited at Ellis Island for a chance at a piece of the pie, like everyone else. Aren’t you glad your family made it? You are here to enjoy it too! My family gained legal residency after traveling across illegally and I don’t think their efforts are better or worse than your parents’. Same goal, just a different way of doing it. Your family did it illegally, too. Just because there was an organized process at Ellis Island doesn’t make it justified.

in my opinion there is no shoe with or without the gadgets, that could stimulate or for that matter diminish the illegal flow of immigrants into the United States.

I think Judi as an artist , merely took a very unique way to reflect on an existing problem, creating a work of art. As an artist she has a duty to reflect the effect of time on society in her work.

If it renews the dialog between US and Mexican officials on what to do about it, it would have additional merrit.

And please, let’s stop being so hypocritical about how illegals come into this country; not a single soul in southern california complains about all the labor most illegal mexicans quietly fulfill adding to an economic boost everywhere. If you want to stop the flow, tackle the problem domestically first.

I would love to purchase a pair of these. I am currently working on immigrant issues and will be taking a trip to the borderlands with a group of seminary students from Columbia and Chandler Theological in Atlanta Georgia. Please respond if you know where I might be able to purchase a pair of these shoes.

I could write pages in response to the objections raised by persons who have a tenuous grip on the reality of the situation and its causes. I find it ironic that the people we displaced through the use of force, aka Manifest Destiny, we now call illegal. While the mythology of divine providence for the United States is a romantic image we have promoted since the 1800’s, the fact remains that we, as a nation, are largely responsible for the factors which have brought us to the point of an equally fictitous crisis.

I hope that this project is a huge success and I would love to be able to promote awareness of the “least of my brothers and sisters” by purchasing a pair of Brincos myself.

Peace,
g

Is this suppose to be art or is it just saying its art to sell sneakers for $250. For what ever reason it gets a reaction and makes a people think. So, I’ll consider it art for now.

I think its a great idea for immigrants to enter this country to work, the americans that are here are lazy and dont want to dirty their hands when mexicans dont care as long as they can support their families, you have plenty of american families that let their children starve to death bexause of pride or are just plain mean , where there are immigrants that will travel through dirt and sh*% to come here and work to feeds their kids. So you know what Give them the Shoes Good Good Good.

SIMPLEMENTE QUERIA DESIRTE QUE SOS GENIAL, SOY URUGUAYO Y HOY LEI HACERCA DE TUS ZAPATILLAS DEL OTRO LADO DEL BORDE , SOS UNA FENOMENA , CON TAN POCO PONES NERVIOSO A LOS GRINGOS Y SOS BLANCO DE CRITICAS , Y CLARO COMO PUEDE SER QUE PIENSES ALGO CONTRA EL IMPERIO. YO TE DIGO GRACIAS POR SER DEL SUR , DE TU LINDA ARGENTINA , Y TE LO DICE ESTE BOLU URUGUAYO PERO , QUE SABE QUE LO UNICO QUE NOS DIFERENCIA ES EL FUTBOL , PUES ACA YO LO APRECIO MUCHO . SOS UNA CHE EN VERCION FEMENINA , AGUANTE JUDI !!!
SI ME QUERES MANDAR UN MAIL , SERIA BUENISIMO , PERO SE QUE HAS DE SER UNA MUJER SUPER OCUPADA EN LO TUYO ; DE TODOS MODOS GRACIAS POR SER ASI , Y YO TE APOYO!!

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I would like to see the border patrol begiin use of these shoes. The emboidered American Eagle toe would leave a nice reminder on the a$$ end of illegals. Perhaps a giant shoe could be prouced that would stomp out illegals completely! I see your vision clearly Judi!

I tried both Printed Matter and Blends without success. The link does not work from your post. I tried Google, etc. search engines to no avail.

There is a saying in spanish, “Di me con quien andas y te digo quien eres.” “Tell me with whom you walk and I will tell you who you are.”

Any suggestions?

Illegal immigration should be treated like treason… All illegal immigrants do is take jobs away from hard working american citizens. If they don’t like their country, change it… don’t come here and ruin ours.

Judi you rock!!!!!!
Me siento orgullosa de que sos Aregntina, revolucionaria, innovadora y artista. Quiero comprar unos brincos para mi esposo number 11. Please write me.
much revolutionary love
Eva

I saw an article on tv about your product. I love the esoteric design qualities. What I really need is the contact info for the plant that did your shoes. We are a small art based skateboard company with a similar agenda…art for art’s sake. A reply would be greatly appreciated. Kudos! jeff

Hola, soy argentina y quiero unas brinco. No tengo 200 d??lares pero quiero mis brinco. Qu?© hago?

[…] This would have been a perfect art project. Unfortunately, they beat me to it, and it’s real to boot (as far as I can tell). It is a pretty amazing commentary on the industry’s lack of social consciousness. It also has the “help them cross” irony like Judi Werthein’s Brinco shoes. I’m still sort of in awe that they actually think this is a reasonable idea… […]

Hola Judi me justaria mas informacion de los brinco estoy contenta y te agradesco por pensar en la gente imigrante I would have never thought of this I think you are Awesome and that u have a great heart…God will Bless You for helping all these people that come to the U.S to work and seek the American Dream..I am a U.S Citizen and am married to an Immigrant he is the best husband ever…Please write back to me if you can I would really apprechiate it. Thank You once again.

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