The Hugging Wall was conceived as a way to encourage a dialog about authenticity in our engagement with people on a day to day basis.

The walls were located for one day on the grounds of LACMA in 2008. Visitors were invited to interact with the forms as they felt comfortable.

Most visitors responded to them as a welcome invitation to encourage a hug in an unexpected public space, while others described them as a 'hug-condom' highlighting the inauthentic nature of the gesture.

The experiment grew out of my desire to explore the disconnected nature of my relationship with Los Angeles as my home.

Photographer: Alissa Hunsaker