Barroso chose his materials and imagery to provoke discussion. By contrasting what we know as an electronic television with simple, rustic wood and toylike machinery, he raises questions related to progress, wealth, news media, and power. Detailed imagery on the artwork includes a symbolic use of the eagle, mice or rats, the horn of plenty, and thorns. Inside the box, a story unfolds. A border guard strikes a man on his knees while we watch through the distance of the screen. All of these artistic choices create a complex artwork that comments on the difficult issues surrounding the crossing of political borders.

Born in Cuba in 1964, Abel Barroso has been rapidly gaining international renown for his art, which combines techniques of wood-block printmaking and sculpture in powerful and sometimes humorous commentaries on contemporary Cuban life.

His carefully crafted wooden sculptures are thought-provoking and playful, often inviting the viewer to interact through hand-cranked moving parts.

CUBA
Cuba is a country comprised of a group of islands, which lie about 90 miles from Florida. Once a Spanish colony, Cuba gained its independence in the mid-1800s, but was governed by a series of corrupt leaders. In 1959 Fidel Castro came to power and established a Communist government based on the style of leadership found in the Soviet Union at that time. Tensions between the United States and the Soviet-aligned Cuba were high. In 1961 a U.S. plan to overthrow Castro by invading at the Bay of Pigs failed. A year later, Cuba, the United States, and the Soviet Union stood on the brink of nuclear war when the Soviets attempted to place missiles in Cuba. Diplomacy prevented war, but tensions and economic sanctions between the United States and Cuba continue to this day.

IMMIGRATION
In 1959 many Cubans fled the Communist takeover and established large refugee communities in Florida and New York. The United States offered political asylum, or an immigration haven, to political defectors. In 1980 the Cuban government allowed 125, 266 Cubans defectors to leave Cuba in the "Mariel boat lift." Along with average Cubans, the boatlift also included over 3,000 individuals with mental illness and criminal backgrounds who were sent back or imprisoned in the United States. Many new immigrants sought political freedom and economic opportunities. These issues led some to wonder who was a refugee and who was an illegal alien. In 1994 about 30,000 Cubans headed for the United States in boats. Immigration was allowed if they made it to land. If they were stopped in the water, they were sent back.

Along the southern U.S. border with Mexico, illegal border crossing by people from a number of countries is a daily issue. Illegal workers fill many low-paying jobs and have become essential to the U.S. economy, while others have histories of crime. How best to secure the U.S. border continues to be a troubling issue.