In the Worker Patch series, noé olivas celebrates the fullness of the lives of three women whose labor sustains the community of Borrego Springs: Penny, Rafaela, and Silvia. This series takes the physical form of monumental versions of workers’ name badges, carefully hand-made, larger-than-life tributes to their personal stories.
Each piece is completed with an essential audio component, a recording of a conversation between the artist and each of the three women. They discuss their names and what they mean to them, their hopes, their challenges and joys, and how they wish to be remembered.
Installed in the Community Room and lobby of the Borrego Springs Public Library, an important gathering place for the town, Penny, Rafaela, and Silvia honor the complexity of their stories and elevates their visibility in the community.
Silvia (worker patch series), 2022
Nylon string, tweed fabric, gesso, wood
5’ x 30” x 4”
Listen and read the stories of Silvia
Rafaela (worker patch series), 2022
Nylon string, tweed fabric, gesso, wood
5’ x 30” x 4”
Listen and read the stories of Rafaela
Penny (worker patch series), 2022
Nylon string, tweed fabric, gesso, wood
5’ x 30” x 4”
Listen and read the stories of Penny
worker patch series