nicolas dominguez
My art addresses social and economic conflicts in Argentina, brought about by the historical and systematic exploitation of Argentina's people and natural resources. My current focus is on Coca-Cola's attempts to privatize aquifers, Monsanto's exploitation of farmers, and the abuses of the U.S. government. Many United States audiences may not be familiar with these facts (thanks to a lack of news coverage and successful marketing), but they often incite and abet Argentina's continuing turmoil.
I research the organizations involved, as well as Argentinian legends that feel comparable, and pair them together in my protest art. I use stencils, spray paint on concrete, and photographs to call these massive entities to account. I want to burrow into my viewer's attention, entice them to learn more about he stories, and hold a place in their mind, in order to break the cycles of oppression and methodically maintained ignorance. They mythology and imagery speak of Argentina's long history of foreign and industrial interference that have been present since its very founding. These tales are old, some even older than Argentina as we know it today, but they continue to recur, over and over again. The individuals, organizations, and slogans in the current iteration may all be relatively new (much like my materials and techniques), but these stories continue to be told as a brutal cycle of violence, theft and suffering.
