Artist Ramiro Gomez, a child of Mexican immigrants, worked as a live-in nanny in Beverly Hills from 2009-2011, an experience that inspires the art he produces. He takes gaudy photographs and advertisements and adds in what you don’t see: the immigrants and low-wage laborers that make the extravagance possible. He recently sat down for an interview with PolicyMic and talked about his art and its inspiration:
“If seen closely, the paint on the magazine interruptions is applied lightly,and can be scratched off easily, referencing the instability of the worker. Their transience comes from the uncertainty of the job, and the artistic decision to focus on their transience comes from the realization that these workers will eventually disappear without a trace in the history books.” — Ramiro Gomez
His works foster a greater appreciation for the role that these laborers play in our economy, something that is often overlooked by the those engaging in conversations about immigration reform and minimum wage legislation.