Cynthia Hooper|Home|Paintings|Tijuana

These oil and gouache paintings interpret the resourcefully improvised domestic dwellings and infrastructure of the rapidly and perilously expanding working-class communities of Tijuana, Mexico. My most recent 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 (more often than not) cannot afford a car. This subtle irony—as well as these homes’ iconic beauty—is completely compelling, as are the complex social and economic contingencies that shape these communities. (All works are 2005-2008, 9" X 12" to 11" X 20")

(click on each image to enlarge)



Diamond Home
04 G5 C5
Tienda

Brown Home

Ruta Matamoros Tres

Ruta Matamoros Dos

Ruta Matamoros

Tidy Duplex
Duplex


Beige Home



Pink Home






Nosotros



Lazaro Cardenas Garden

Lazaro Cardenas





La Gloria Garden


La Gloria Garden 2


Lazaro Cardenas Monolith




Lazaro Cardenas Memento Mori



La Gloria Infrastructure with Ornament


La Gloria Electrical Infrastructure


La Gloria Infrastructure with Ornament 2



Lazaro Cardenas Infrastructure with Shoe



Infrastructure with Toy



Infrastructure with Cliff


La Morita Watershed with Palm


La Morita Watershed with Gate




La Morita Watershed with Pink Barrel



La Morita Watershed with Tires



La Morita Watershed with Barrel



La Morita Watershed with Rocks




La Morita Watershed with Dog


La Morita Sewer Construction



La Morita Watershed with View




La Morita Watershed with Home


La Gloria Construction