Copied
Margarita Cabrera, Black and Grey Toaster, 2011, vinyl, copper wire and thread, 7 1⁄4 x 10 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄8 in. (18.4 x 26.7 x 18.1 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Frank K. Ribelin Endowment, 2012.36, © 2011, Margarita Cabrera
Copied
Artwork Details
- Title
- Black and Grey Toaster
- Artist
- Date
- 2011
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 7 1⁄4 x 10 1⁄2 x 7 1⁄8 in. (18.4 x 26.7 x 18.1 cm)
- Copyright
- © 2011, Margarita Cabrera
- Credit Line
- Museum purchase through the Frank K. Ribelin Endowment
- Mediums Description
- vinyl, copper wire and thread
- Classifications
- Highlights
- Subjects
- Object — other — appliance
- Object Number
- 2012.36
Artwork Description
Margarita Cabrera’s faux-leather appliances are reminders that many household electronics are made in factories in Mexico. The obvious craft process of sewing—emphasized by the exposed threads—symbolically makes visible the exploited human labor involved with mass production. Cabrera, who was born in Mexico and lives in Arizona, relates the sagging vinyl forms to the underpaid workers who help provide basic comforts in American homes.
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, 2022
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October 25, 2013–March 2, 2014
Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists in the United States since the mid-twentieth century, when the concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge.
May 13, 2022–April 2, 2023
This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World showcases the dynamic landscape of American craft today.