“Where can I position myself in this world full of chaos, divided by egocentric individuals who seek their own interests before others’? Am I just from one place? Or am I from different places? These voids in my identity made me who I am, helping me understand my positionality within my context. I am water, earth, and metal—physical borders imposed by egocentric individuals. I am a collision of thoughts and ideas that form mental borders. Am I here to break my individuality? Or am I here to reconstruct that idea? I am looking for answers in places where they cannot be found, and questions in places I have never sought before.” These questionings haunt Mijali Posada Polydorides’ identity as a cultural hybrid, prompting a continuous search to translate inner fragmentation into the physical realm.

 

My Inner Borders is a performative water-dripping sculpture that explores Mijali’s auto-ethnographic approach to the healing ritual of his internal boundaries. These are understood as the material and imaginary borders shaped by his multicultural context – constantly colliding, creating voids, and reshaping his sense of self. The act of filtering and healing these wounds defines his individuality, as he navigates cultural exchange and detaches from the chains that have restrained his free and authentic expression.

 

The sculpture is activated through a performative act: the performer is invited to initiate the piece by pouring water into the top level, allowing it to slowly filter through the layered structure. This material journey draws from elements tied to Mijali’s physical and symbolic geography. Water, a central element, depicts the filtering of heritage. Unglazed red clay embodies the layered complexity of cultural exchange, while brushed-polished aluminum reflects the distortion and multiplicity of the self.