In 1492, with the decree of expulsion penned by Isabel and Ferdinand, Jews were placed on notice that they had three months to convert, leave or die. If they left they had three months to divest themselves of their properties. They could take only what they could carry, no gold, silver or jewels.

People were forced to leave their homes and moved to embarkation sites...ports that open to the sea. From there the exiled would be taken from the land in which they were born, in which their parents’ parents’ parents were born. The ancient listing sailing ships were often captained by gangs salivating over the possessions that the wretched voyagers carried with them as they fled. And these pathetically unseaworthy sailing ships were too overloaded and understaffed — they could easily sink in the dark waters.

But first, before the embarkation, before the masses are crowded onto those 15th century cattlecars — a pause for a final supper at the doorway of the unknown.

Installation Description
A table and benches are centered in the space, configured in the form of a cross. The trunk of the cross is 15 meters long, the arm is 10 meters wide. There are empty bowls, spoons and glasses partially filled with water awaiting the 'last supper' for those expelled from their homeland. Videos are projected onto the walls next to the table, the images stretch and distort, thin slits that then grow to a wider image (the projectors are placed at an angle). The images are blue and ghostly, computer manipulated shadows of people lined up or forced to march on their journey. Sometimes portions of the Edict of Expulsion are layered under the other images.

In the center of the table is a rear projection, from the floor up — an image of the sea, water in constant motion. Occasionally, superimposed on this is an image of a wooden spoon or a key floating in the water.

The final element to this work is a soundtrack. Over the sound of the sea, Catalan 15th century liturgical music is heard, then, the muffled sound of a multitude of people scuffling across a floor and sitting to eat. There is the low murmur of people too fearful to speak loudly.  A few excerpts from the Edict of Expulsion weave in and out of the music. A text with special effects completes the work.

1999