Kauila Clark

Through the Eyes of a Farmworker - 2008

​I was inspired by the time that I spent as a farmworker. The basic premise for the painting is to express the similarity between the agricultural and plantation histories of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The major crops in both countries were sugar, pineapple and coffee in the 19th and 20th centuries. The painting exemplifies these three major crops. The male figures have hats to conceal their identities because of how issues of illegal immigration shroud the images of the workers. The woman is clearly seen in full profile because the woman is often the recognized center of the farmworker family and provides the family learning experiences in culture, values and nurturing. The workers are depicted with bent postures exemplifying the effect of the back breaking work they perform. The hands of the farmworkers are emphasized and stiff from constant use.

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