Nicholas Galanin created this work with the same steel tubing used to construct the U.S.-Mexico border wall, also echoing its 30-foot height. The metal was cut and reassembled to spell out LAND in a format reminiscent of Robert Indiana’s 1966 sculpture, LOVE. The anti-climbing plate seen atop the border wall appears here on the upper letters, and the text repeats in four layers to create a dynamic, open structure. As our point of view changes, the text shifts between legibility and abstraction.
Galanin is a member of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (b.1979 Sitka; Lingít and Unangax̂). As an Indigenous person, he practices subsistence in his homeland. For him, the free movement of life is essential, and all life is deeply connected to Land. Galanin adapts aspects of pop art and minimalism, such as repetition, text, and industrial production to protest oppressive systems of division and control. The title, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra, combines English and Spanish, two languages imposed in North America since colonization. The work reminds us that Indigenous peoples persist and permeate borders despite the forcible removal of rights, languages, and access to Land and Water. For Galanin, “barriers to Land directly reflect barriers to love, love for Land, for community and for future generations.”
About the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
The inaugural Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial 2024–2025: Public Matter explores the evolving concept of public space in Abu Dhabi through the lens of four main factors: environment, community, urbanity, and indigeneity. The Biennial investigates how environmental conditions influence gathering places and interactions, and how they define what is considered public space. It examines the interplay between the city’s modern development and its indigenous practices, addressing the challenge of preserving traditional values amid urban growth and economic diversification. Located in downtown Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, the Biennial aims to bridge the city’s past and present, featuring public art that engages the community and enhances walkability. Key highlights include the Abu Dhabi Bus Terminal, noted for its unique architecture and role as a community hub, and Al Ain’s pre-petroleum architectural heritage, including traditional mud-brick housing and lush oases. The event promotes inclusivity and invites artists to contribute to a deeper understanding of public spaces and their cultural significance.
Installation Images
Location
New York Exhibition
Nicholas Galanin: In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra in New York City
Leadership support for Nicholas Galanin: In every language there is Land/ En cada lengua hay una Tierra is provided by Ellen & Andrew Celli; Angelo K. H. Chan & Frederick Wertheim; the Girlfriend Fund; Jennifer Sykes Harris; the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation; Holly & Jonathan Lipton; Elizabeth Fearon Pepperman & Richard C. Pepperman II; Peter Blum Gallery; Allison & Paul Russo; and Karen & Sam Seymour with major support from Linda Lennon & Stuart Baskin. Additional support is provided by Carla Shen.
Special thanks to Brooklyn Bridge Park and Silman, our engineering partner.
Public Art Fund is supported by the generosity of individuals, corporations, and private foundations including lead support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, along with major support from Abrams Foundation, the Charina Endowment Fund, the Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts, The Fuhrman Family Foundation, The Marc Haas Foundation, Hartfield Foundation, William Talbott Hillman Foundation- Affirmation Arts Fund, the Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, Red Crane Foundation, The Silverweed Foundation, and Wagner Foundation.
Public Art Fund exhibitions and programs are also supported in part with public funds from government agencies, including the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.