Creating Discourse: Border-Ball and Razor-Sharp

Joel Tauber’s work Border-Ball chronicles his 40-day pilgrimage along the U.S. – Mexico border in 2019. Tauber walked, repeatedly, from the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, along the Border Wall, to the Otay Mesa Detention Center—and back. People shared their thoughts and stories and played catch with Tauber. The work reflects on how we can be so cruel to immigrants and refugees, as it offers a pathway forward via discourse and connection. Razor-Sharp: When Arguing Is A Good Thing is a work that explores the ancient Jewish practice of chavruta (heated discourse and constructive debate) and portrays one of its great practitioners: the Gaon (genius) Rabbi Yehuda Aszód (1796-1866) of Hungary. Tauber travels from his home in Winston-Salem, NC, USA to the grave of his ancestor, Rabbi Aszód, in Dunajská Streda, Slovakia. There, Tauber embarks on an immersive form of chavruta dialog with his great-great-great-great-grandfather, as he seeks a greater understanding of this form of communication. Joel invites you to play catch in front of the gallery with him and have a conversation about borders, immigration, and refugees — or any other topic on your minds. He will also be modeling the ancient Jewish practice of chavruta discourse: constructive argumentation to arrive at the truth.