The Chain Link Divide
I’ve been fascinated by the controversy involving the active opening
and closing of the chain link fence on the railway, close to where I live in
Montreal. This crossing had been
generously left open for 30 years or more until the summer of 2009 when
suddenly and unexpectedly the CPR blocked the community’s “short cut” across
the tracks. There was no
explanation and no warning. Overnight
there was no longer access.
Hundreds of people use this crossing regularly; it is direct and safe
and also connects to one of the best bike paths that cross the city west to
east. No sooner had the opening(s)
been closed than someone had clipped the fencing open again. It was then sealed
shut again with more reinforced strategically placed steel pipes. Still the <cutters> found their
way through a section of the fence again, and this <war> has continued on
like this for over a year now. It
was left open for the summer but now another critical section has been
reinforced shut. The CPR has also
been fining people and a petition has been started www.PetitionOnline.com/ouvert02/,
as of Oct 14th 2010, 792 people have signed it.
This inspired me to do my own form of chain link fencing and to place
it strategically in a passageway that people would not expect to be
obstructed. However, there will be
a way through my digital and intaglio printed fencing without having to use
metal cutters. I want to create a dialogue with the Concordia community, how do
we react when previously accessible areas appear not to be so. When do we still try to find a way
through and when do we turn back, angry and discouraged.
Our society is surrounded by chain link fences, keeping people in,
keeping people out, containing areas of land, buildings, etc. Do we ever consider why this protection
is so necessary? Chain link fencing, dating back to the late 1800’s,[1]
has now become so innocuously prevalent in our society that we seldom consider
its relevance anymore. This is an opportunity to do so.
[1] Anchor Fence Co., Inc. – History. Anchor Post Fence Co. was the
first to manufacture and install chain link fencing in the USA in 1891. Web 14
Oct 2010.
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