For the past month, Westchester sculptor Marilyn Mazin Miller has been haunted by accounts of the nearly 3,000 children separated at the US-Mexican border from their families as a result of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policy. “The inhumanity and cruelty weigh heavily,” said Miller, who said she finds the reports and stories extremely disturbing.
The dire situation propelled her to create “Immigration Reform,” an installation that will be on view at Union Square in New York City on July 19 and 26, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Constructed of steel and mixed media, “Immigration Reform” depicts a cell within a cell, one containing the figure of a young woman and the other, a child less than 5, both tired and distressed; they can see each other but are unable to reach each other.
“I want to further sensitize people to this terrible cruelty, committed in our country’s name, on the innocent children whose parents are seeking asylum,” said Miller.
On the days that the installation is on view, the artist said she will be present, distributing flyers to encourage people to contact their elected officials – U.S. senators and representatives, as well as President Donald Trump – to “repair and never repeat again this dreadful policy.”
For 25 years, Miller has created sculpture in bronze, stainless steel, resin, stone and concrete.
She has exhibited at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, N.J.; National Arts League in Douglaston; Patterson Museum in Patterson, N.J.; The River Gallery in Narrowsburg; Kendall Art Gallery in Wellfleet, Mass.; and Onward Gallery in Tokyo, Japan – among dozens of other venues.
She is listed with the International Sculpture Center and her studio is in Cortlandt Manor. For more information, visit marilynmmiller.com.
