Redes
The "Redes" lighting series emerged from an exploration of how produce nets could be transformed. Molded colorful plastic creates intriguing shades for lighting. The bags were compressed, layered, molded, and sewn into forms inspired by bags full of fruit, ancient fertility figurines, and traditional Mexican woven plastic shopping bags. The vibrant colors of these bags comment on the waste generated by our artificial hyper-fertility and the unseasonal nature of our current food production systems.
This project also prompted me to research the origins of produce and who collects it. In the United States, prized items such as avocados, citrus, and root vegetables are often imported from Latin America and the Caribbean, including Mexico, Chile, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. The U.S. is very welcoming of this food, but not of the people who come from these countries, unless they are harvesting produce grown in American soil.
In collecting these nets, I have engaged with various participants within our food systems, including farmers, grocery store owners, restaurant operators, and individual consumers. By paying attention to this seemingly insignificant and disposable packaging and witnessing its transformation, I have created a meaningful impact on all parties involved.
This work aims to address the tension between natural and synthetic materials that is prominent in the visual culture of the industrialized Global South.