The Borderline project by Shiro Masuyama was commissioned for Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013. It features a converted caravan interior divided into two mirrored sections representing Irish and British cultures, with paired objects highlighting similarities and differences. First presented in Ebrington Square alongside the Turner Prize Exhibition 2013, the installation has toured a range of arts venues and border locations across Ireland and the UK. Developed after Masuyama’s move to Northern Ireland in 2010, the project explores cultural identity through public interaction. Visitors enter the caravan and engage in conversations that inform its ongoing evolution, transforming the work into a small, living museum of cultural exchange.

The project holds particular resonance for Bere Island, where British military forces were stationed until 1938 following Irish independence. This shared history of overlapping Irish and British identities creates a meaningful parallel with the dual structure of the installation. By situating Borderline within this context, the work offers an opportunity to reflect on the layered cultural legacy of the island, encouraging dialogue around heritage, memory, and identity in a place shaped by both traditions.