The artists from the In Plain Sight project are united by the goal of raising public awareness about causes such as immigrant detention and the US culture of incarceration. Therefore, most of these artists’ works explore themes of trauma, suffering, solitude, injustice, experiences of immigrants in America and the way they are treated here. Thus, all these artists express some kind of protest in their art. Many works interpret present-day cultural and political events, as well as the treatment of immigrants as unreasonable and cruel acts of forced detention. Paintings, performances, films, sky typing, articles, and many other forms of art are used to present the immigrants’ perspective on these events.
It can also be noticed that many artists who are members of the minority nations in the USA also participate in the project and depict individuals of the same nationality in their art. This demonstrates the artists’ close connection to their cultural heritage and compassion for their countrymen. Community-oriented art is their main weapon in the fight against immigrant detention. All these works contain messages that communicate the victims’ stories and promote a call for action.
It can be suggested that the main goal of these artists’ works is to remind people about the immigrant detention issues and the suffering of people who had to face it. Art makes the experiences real for people who may have been ignorant of these experiences. Separated families and children taken away from their parents are scenes that cannot leave anyone indifferent. The art that incorporates a purpose, as well as such deep meanings and intentions to raise public awareness about the issue is arguably the most valuable and important type of art.