Work
Cabrera's artistic output includes both contemporary sculpture and public artworks.
Cabrera's soft sculptures are modelled on the shape of common appliances and machines, created from fabric and thread. [8] She has made soft sculptures of coffee makers, [9] bicycles, [10] sewing machines, [11] backpacks, [10] as well as the Hummer [12] and Volkswagen beetle [13] [14] automobiles. Cabrera has stated that these works are intended as an insight into the lives of laborers working in the Mexican appliance factories, or maquiladoras, that produce the real articles just south of the US-Mexico border. [15] [16] [17] In the process of creating her soft sculptures, Cabrera often works with displaced immigrants living on the American side of the border. [18] [19]
Cabrera's soft sculpture project titled Space in Between (2018), is collaborative and reflects the stories of the Latinx immigrant community from Mexico and Central America in the United States who participated in the project's creation through workshops facilitated by Cabrera. [20] [21] The soft sculptures in Space in Between were constructed using fabric of border patrol uniforms that imitate the form of southwestern desert plants reminiscent of border landscapes. [22] These sculptures are embroidered with traditional Otomi embroidery and sewing techniques unique to workshop participant’s cross border experiences. [23] [20]
Cabrera’s sculptural artworks also encompasses different materials, including clay seen in Árbol de La Vida: John Deere Model # 790 (2007), which was inspired by traditional Mexican ceramic craft. [24] [25] This life sized sculpture in the shape of a tractor reflects the U.S. agricultural industry in relation to labor and is covered with individual colorful clay pieces in the form of butterflies, flowers, and birds that Cabrera states, refers to the Mexican "tree of life". [24] The color of clay used in the sculpture is derived from the various regions of Mexico, such as Oaxaca and Puebla, offering visibility to traditional ceramic crafts from their respective regions. [26]
Cabrera's use of community involvement in the production of her soft sculptures has led her to create more engaged public artworks. Since 2010 she has run workshops on the production of art projects in Arizona and Texas, inviting the participation of new immigrants. [27] [28] The corporation Florezca, was established by Cabrera in 2011 and offers opportunities for workshop participants to become shareholders and earn profit through their collaborative artworks. [29]
Cabrera other work includes a permanent public work named Árbol de la Vida: Memorias y Voces de la Tierra which was unveiled in 2019. It is a tree sculpture with a diameter of 80 feet. The branches support 700 hand made clay sculptures made by members of the San Antonio community. [30]
