Tijuana
These oil and gouache paintings interpret the resourcefully improvised domestic dwellings and infrastructure of the once rapidly expanding working-class communities of Tijuana, Mexico. The oil paintings examine the repurposing of cast-off garage doors from vintage San Diego subdivisions to build sturdy four-walled Mexican homes. These garage doors—once an important façade component for mid-century American commuter homes—now function as the only façade for households that often cannot afford a car. This subtle irony—as well as these homes’ iconic beauty—is as compelling as the complex social and economic contingencies that shape these communities.
Estas pinturas al óleo y gouache interpretan la ingeniosa improvisación en las viviendas e infraestructura de las crecientes comunidades de clase trabajadora en Tijuana, México. Los óleos examinan el reúso de puertas de cochera—deshechadas por antiguas entidades sandieguinas—para construir resistentes hogares de cuatro paredes en México. Estas puertas de cochera, que previamente fueron un elemento muy importante de la fachada de las casas norteamericanas de mitad de siglo, ahora funcionan como la única achada en hogares cuyos habitantes (la mayor parte de las veces) no pueden comprar un auto. Esta sutil ironía, así como la belleza icónica de estas casas, es tan convincente como las complejas contingencias sociales y económicas que dan forma a estas comunidades.
(Click to enlarge the images / Click para ampliar las imágenes)
04 G4 C5, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Diamond Home, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Duplex, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Brown Home, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Tidy Duplex, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Beige Home, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Pink Home, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Tienda, 2008, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Ruta Dos Mil, 2007, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Ruta Dos Mil 2, 2007, oil on panel, 11" x 14"
Ruta Dos Mil 3, 2007, oil on panel, 11 " x 14"
Nosotros, 2007, watercolor on paper, 10" x 20"
Lazaro Cardenas, 2007, watercolor on paper, 11" x 17"
La Gloria Jardin 2007, watercolor on paper, 11" x 17"
La Gloria Jardin 2, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Gloria Jardin 3, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Gloria Monolith, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Gloria Memento Mori, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Palm, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Pink Barrel, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with View, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Barrel, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Gate, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Tires, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Rocks, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Home, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Watershed with Dog, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Morita Infrastructure, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Gloria Construction, 2006, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Infrastructure with Shoe, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Infrastructure with Cliff, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Infrastructure with Ornament, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Morita Infrastructure, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
La Morita Infrastructure 2, 2005, watercolor on paper, 9" x 12"
Installation view of the Research & Desire exhibition, Lake Tahoe Community College, 2016
Installation view of the Research & Desire exhibition, Lake Tahoe Community College, 2016
Installation view of the Research & Desire exhibition, Lake Tahoe Community College, 2016
Installation view of the Research & Desire exhibition, Lake Tahoe Community College, 2016
Installation view of the Plainer: A Contemporary Take on Landscape exhibition, Torrance Art Museum, 2006
Installation view of the Plainer: A Contemporary Take on Landscape exhibition, Torrance Art Museum, 2006
