Ruben Ochoa_If I had a rebar for every time someone tried to mold me…
Ruben Ochoa, an interdisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles, California, has spent three decades exploring space as both a concept and material while addressing the socio-political and economic forces shaping the spaces we occupy. His notable works include Mis Marcadores, a large-scale public installation at the US/Mexican Border in 2019, and the AR lens ¡Vendedores, Presente! created in collaboration with LACMA and Snapchat in 2021 to support L.A. street vendors. Ochoa also collaborates with Revolution Carts to create art-wrapped vendor carts, which function as both tools for street vendors and social sculptures and have been featured in prominent venues like Frieze LA and the Hammer Museum. Through his art, Ochoa uses whimsy to reframe everyday objects, such as the fence post, tortillas and street vendor umbrellas, to provoke thought and highlight their deep sociopolitical implications.