Steel Life Porcelana by Ruben Ochoa: A Sculpture of Three Elements

Steel Life Porcelana by Ruben Ochoa, A Sculpture of Three Elements
In his first edition with The Lapis Press, Steel Life Porcelana, 2014, Ruben Ochoa presents a sculpture that consists of three elements: porcelain, concrete, and wire. the small sculpture borrows physical elements from the diverse environment of Southern California in the service of subtle social and cultural critique. 

  • More Than Just a Bundle of Rebar

    According to Ochoa, this piece represents more than just a 'bundle of rebar'; in effect, it alludes to informal economic...
    According to Ochoa, this piece represents more than just a "bundle of rebar"; in effect, it alludes to informal economic practices common among low wage construction workers. Unable to be utilized in construction, scraps of rebar less than 24" long are considered waste and thrown away. Mindful of their industrial value, laborers bundle rebar bits together to bring to recycling centers where they can be exchanged for cash. In its transliteration of one sturdy material for a fragile one, Steel Life Porcelana denies the former its original use value and utilitarian purpose while elevating it to artwork status in the form of a porcelain replica.