“Pilar” is a public art piece I created for the project "Cows on Parade" by Visit Vacaville. The sculpture was first unveiled in a public event the past September 28, 2023, and will be permanently installed in a public space in Vacaville, CA, in the next months. The main focus behind this piece was exploring the concept of emblems and how to create belonging through emergent symbols that become characteristic of a developing community. As an immigrant artist I’m constantly looking for opportunities to connect with my surroundings, people and places. Inspired by the permanent nature and the intrinsically accessible capacity of public art, I saw the opportunity to hold space for our communities to connect and take part in the creative process of an artwork that would carry our essence. The result is a multilayer project that stands for resilience, sustainability of art and agriculture, and the importance of creating bridges within our communities.

The work also holds a tangible connection to each individual that was part of the experiences within the project. This creates an opportunity for community members to see themselves represented in the work, to develop a sense of pride and belonging to their hometown, and to hopefully leave a permanent mark for the work to continue carrying the same capacity through generations to come after them. I chose to name the work “Pilar” as it is a common name in my culture that stands for Pillar of strength, and that also happens to be the name of my mother. The cow as a nurturing motherly symbol, becomes the home of this multilayered work, and I wish for the children of our children that were part of this experience to be able to see themselves represented in their ancestors’ hometown as they experience this work for generations. 

Community Members that contributed traces to this work:

Roberto Cubillan, Dona Fox, Brooke Fox, Carson Gellersted, Lisa Hilas, Julia Fine, Susan Fine, Stace Carman, Sarah Jones, Cassandra Kamakeeaina, Nancy Bennett, Jacob Marks.

Pilar is now at The Ulatis Community Center. It will move into its permanent location soon.