
Doing Wall Time
Maybe you’ve heard of Cristiana? She is the 68-year-old daughter of the former Nicaraguan president, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro.
Keep reading >Original Stone
If the Roman Emperor Hadrian were alive today, I wonder what he might have to say about the tumbled down remains of the 2nd century border wall.
Keep reading >Breaking Bounds
I know this is a blog about walls— But here’s a post about walking, instead. There’s a connection between the two. I promise.
Keep reading >Hadrian’s Wall Travel Diary
Stretched out before me is more rain gear than I ever imagined owning. Add to that socks and thermal layers of all manner—and blister protection.
Keep reading >The Big Bonk
I’ve hit a wall—not a real wall but an imagined one in the form of a computer screen capable of sucking up my soul, along with all my words.
Keep reading >Riprap Retreat
The Gin and Tonic in my hand is sweating as am I. It’s after 5:00 p.m. and the sun is still blazing here in Oceanside, California.
Keep reading >Dishwasher Dreams
“Eight years ago, I was standing behind there, washing dishes, not speaking English, an immigrant no one saw,” he told the crowd.
Keep reading >Rock in the Casbah
A big fan of The Clash, I remember speeding down the 101 Highway with my friend Robin on my first-ever parent-free road trip.
Keep reading >Composite Córdoba: Walled In, Walled Out
It’s the Saturday of Semana Santa—Holy Week—in the Spanish city of Córdoba. The place is packed with religious revelers here to witness the processions of the Catholic brotherhoods.
Keep reading >Out in the Open
From the street, the Stonewall Inn isn’t much to look at. Some red brick topped by a plaster façade, punctuated by two arched doorways and four windows, one of which is rectangular and filled with a neon sign.
Keep reading >Trauma Block
As I absorbed this tough news, I listened as my friend described the so-called dark wall her relative was trapped behind, rendering her all but unreachable.
Keep reading >Shot Glass
As a structural element, walls have many uses. In addition to separating people and spaces, walls hold up roofs and provide a hiding place for electrical equipment and the occasional mouse.
Keep reading >






When Jon Crispin agreed to let me reprint some of these rare, vintage photos from Steinstücken I was elated. A former freelancer for the New York Times, among other notable publications and institutions, Jon’s documentary work has been widely exhibited by museums and art organizations, including the New York State Council on Arts, the New York State Museum, and the San Francisco Exploratorium. See Jon’s documentation of suitcases left behind by patients at the now-shuttered Willard Asylum in Willard, NY or find him on Instagram and on Twitter. To see Jon’s other work visit http://www.joncrispin.com/.