Search

Salvador Dominguez Confronts Identity and Labor Through Woven Pipe Cleaner Vessels

We are an online community created around a smart and easy to access information hub which is focused on providing proven global and local insights about sustainability

20 Mar, 2025

This post was originally published on Colossal

“I was among the first in my family to go to college,” artist Salvador Dominguez says. “Years after graduating, I began to realize the biggest challenge was going to be sharing the work I make with those closest to me.”

When art is so deeply intertwined with identity, a profound irony can form when trying to share it with loved ones who haven’t had access to the same resources or lessons in Western art theory and history. Even when the work itself is rooted in shared culture and family connection, how do artists bridge this gap?

a vessel made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of pink and pops of green

The Chicago-based artist confronts this question in a series of hand-woven vessels titled Mano de Obra. Paying homage to a nostalgic vibrancy from his upbringing in southern California and Mexico, the brilliant colors within Dominguez’s work serve as cultural markers. Memories of vividly painted houses and colorful statues inside corner stores and carnicerias, or butcher shops, guide the artist’s use of color and pattern, each component tethered to his sense of identity.

Pipe cleaners—which are fairly accessible and easily recognized by both children and adults—proved to be a clear choice as Dominguez contemplated different materials to work with. Weaving each slender, fuzz-covered wire into functional vessels greatly alters the value of the material in a fascinating way and evokes a familiar environment in which the artist was raised, where trade and craft were used interchangeably as currency.

Recently, Dominguez has begun to teach his mother, Silvia, the weaving techniques he developed with pipe cleaners. He shares:

Her labor within domestic life often went unseen, but her imagination came alive through craft and embroidery. By involving her in this creative process, I not only honor her contributions but also try to maintain our connection, transforming her labor into a visible and valued part of the work. I remain curious about how this collaborative effort has the potential to bridge the gap between generations, particularly since we live in separate parts of the country.

a 360 degree gif of a vase made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of blue

To stay inspired, the artist also collects a slew of domestic items. From his mother’s hand-embroidered tortilleros to household textiles like pillowcases and table runners from Indigenous artisans from Mexico, Dominguez’s collection of precious goods influences form, pattern, and palette in his own work. Though he has encountered these articles since early life, turning to them for research has established a new, unique relationship with the familiar objects.

Dominguez is anticipating a group exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium this May with de boer gallery. Find more work and updates on the artist’s website and Instagram.

a vessel made from woven pipe cleaners with geometric pattern
detail of a a vessel made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of yellow and pops of red, pink, and green
a tall vessel made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of black and gray with geometric colorful detail
a vessel shaped like a 5 gallon bucket, made from woven orange pipe cleaners
a vessel made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of gray and black
a vase made from woven pipe cleaners in colorful shades
a vessel made from woven pipe cleaners in shades of red with small pops of light green and royal blue
Photo by Ian Vecchiotti. Courtesy of the artist and ANDREW RAFACZ, shared with permission

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Salvador Dominguez Confronts Identity and Labor Through Woven Pipe Cleaner Vessels appeared first on Colossal.

Pass over the stars to rate this post. Your opinion is always welcome.
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

You may also like…

Food waste action reduces methane emissions

Food waste action reduces methane emissions

An NZ food waste reduction initiative is providing an extra 12,000 meals per day and helping prevent climate-warming methane emissions from food going to landfill.

New results, released by the Kai Commitment, show that organisations involved in the food waste reduction program — which includes major New Zealand food businesses such as Woolworths NZ, Goodman Fielder, Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Foodstuffs and Nestlé NZ — increased food rescue volumes by 73% over the past year, totalling almost 13 million meals.

The data also revealed a 3% reduction in food going to landfill, helping prevent emissions from methane, a greenhouse gas said to be around 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. This data enables estimation of methane emissions reduction across New Zealand, in line with the New Zealand Government’s methane reduction priorities under the second Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP2), which aims to reduce biogenic methane by 10% by 2030.

Kaitlin Dawson, Executive Director of the Kai Commitment, said the results show that food waste reduction is a powerful lever for food insecurity and climate action, and targeted measurement and action in this space has an important role to play in helping the country meet its local and international climate targets.

“Food sector organisations have a crucial role in reducing food waste, and when supported with the right tools and frameworks, they can be a genuine force for good. We’re seeing businesses step up, take responsibility, and … deliver real impact for our community and climate,” Dawson said.

The results follow the NZ Government’s 2025 Budget announcement, which committed $15 million to support food redistribution. At the same time, food insecurity continues to rise across New Zealand. According to the Ministry of Health, one in four children (27.0%) now live in households where food runs out often or sometimes. For Pacific children, that figure is over half (54.8%); for Māori children, it is one in three (34.3%).

“With mounting financial pressures and increasing food insecurity, ensuring that good food is not wasted and gets to those who need it has never been more critical. At the same time, businesses have a unique opportunity to directly contribute to New Zealand’s national climate targets by embedding food waste reduction across their operations,” Dawson said.

Since its launch two years ago, the Kai Commitment program has helped businesses implement stronger food waste measurement, improve stock handling practices, and integrate food waste principles into operations and culture.

Key achievements include:

All participating businesses now integrate food loss and waste (FLW) into staff training.
43% of businesses have established FLW key performance indicators, up from just 14% in the first year.
71% of businesses now manage waste according to the food waste hierarchy, prioritising reuse and rescue over landfill.
Edible food waste reduced by 54%.
Expired stock to waste destinations reduced by 24%.
An 83% increase in surplus food revenue was recorded, returning an additional $3.6 million to food businesses.
 

“These results show what’s possible when we work together to deliver impact,” Dawson said. “As we grow the Kai Commitment, we’re focused on scaling that impact supporting more organisations to reduce food waste, cut emissions, and contribute to a stronger, more resilient food system for Aotearoa.”

Image credit: iStock.com/Dragos Condrea

0 Comments