Border crossings Ellen Goldberg

• Human beings are not free to roam the world.• Country borders are guarded by soldiers and military;

blocked by walls, fences and barriers.• People must show passports and visas when they are

given permission to enter other countries.• It is dangerous to cross borders in many parts of the

world.• People risk their lives to illegally cross borders

Israel and its Borders

It is ironic that a country which is surrounded on all sides by its enemy nations and territories, closed to movement at most borders, is home to hundreds of species of birds and host to millions of other birds who are just passing through each year.

Israel is a land bridge between Africa and Europe, a rest stop so birds don’t have to fly over the Mediterranean during their long migration journeys to Europe. and other countries.

We need Birds

• Birds ignore borders and connect the world with migration routes.

• Birds connect continents, culture and people• Birds are indicators of changing seasons and essential to

the ecosystem. But……….• Human activities threaten bird populations.• Man and bird must work together.

Israel and Birds

• Israel is a theatre to witness birds.• Since ancient times Israel has served as

a land bridge and flight corridor for a half-billion birds (25% of the world’s population) from 230 species.

• There are 270 species of birds that are native to Israel.

• Migrating Birds Know No Boundaries is a project that allows 250 Israelis and Palestinians to track migrations together.

Israel The Bird’s Eye View.htm

World Migratory Bird Day

• To be as free• as a bird

wmbd_theme2012_e-Bird Migration.pdf

Ballistic Vests

• The Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV) in Universal Camouflage Pattern, is issued to U.S. Army soldiers A ballistic vest, bulletproof vest or bullet-resistant vest is an item of personal armor that helps absorb the impact from firearm-fired projectiles and shrapnel from explosions, and is worn on the torso. Soft vests are made from many layers of woven or laminated fibers and can be capable of protecting the wearer from small-caliber handgun and shotgun projectiles, and small fragments from explosives such as hand grenades.

• Metal or ceramic plates can be used with a soft vest, providing additional protection from rifle rounds, and metallic components or tightly woven fiber layers can give soft armor resistance to stab and slash attacks from knives and similar close-quarter weapons. Soft vests are commonly worn by police forces, private citizens, security guards, and bodyguards, whereas hard-plate reinforced vests are mainly worn by combat soldiers, police tactical units, and hostage rescue teams.

Do we need these to cross borders?

ARMOR Do we wear these to cross borders?

• ar·mor/ˈärmər/

Noun:Metal coverings formerly worn by soldiers to protect the body in battle.Verb:Provide (someone) with emotional, social, or other defenses: "the knowledge armored him against her".

The Plan

Ellen S. GoldbergLesson Plan: For the BirdsTitle: Border Crossings

Background: Human beings cannot cross borders at will. In fact it can be very dangerous , even deadly. The world was not created with borders other than natural geographic barriers like mountains and waterways. People create artificial obstructions, walls and fences to keep others out of their “territories”. The state of Israel is surrounded by countries whose borders are closed. Yet, ironically, Israel is a land bridge for over half a billion birds each year that migrate between Africa and Europe. Birds ignore borders and connect the world with migration routes. They bridge continents, culture and people. And they are most necessary to our ecosystem.

Objectives:How can man cross borders and bridge the gap and differences between the peoples of the world. Must he make himself invisible, or wear camaflouge, armor or bullet proof vests in order to safely pass between countries? This project will address the crossing of man-made borders. As humans how can we blur borders between countries, cultures and ideologies? Will human beings ever experience the freedom of birds?

Sequence:Brainstorm ideas about birds and man and how they connect to the world.Use web and other sources to research bird migratory patterns, Israel, borders, etc. Compare man to birds. Find similarities and differences. Research body wear, armor and bullet proof vests, and other forms of protective wear made for man.Develop drawings, patterns and maquettes to materialize the concept of Border Crossings into a garment scaled for human use. Create a metal armor inspired garment from fabric using map and bird imagery and quilting methods.

:

The Process

The Prototype