Prohibido el Paso

During the Wereld van de Witte de With festival in 2009, Gijs van Bon presented the project “Prohibido el Paso.” This installation consisted of eight movable barriers that could be operated by the public. The barriers could be arranged in choreographed movements, creating a playful tension between freedom and restriction, motion and stillness.

With “Prohibido el Paso,” Van Bon offered a playful yet poignant reflection on the themes of control, access, and exclusion. The title — Spanish for “No Entry” — underscored the universal relevance of boundaries, whether physical, social, or political. By literally giving the audience control over the installation’s movements, the work created an interactive experience in which power and responsibility became tangible.

The work was presented in the public space of Witte de Withstraat in Rotterdam and was part of the broader festival program. Mothership produced the project in collaboration with September in Rotterdam (Rotterdam Festivals).