Trabajo Digno (Decent Work)  2026
Terrick Gutierrez
Los Angeles, CA
acrylic on canvas
14 x 11 inches
14.5 x 11.5 inches
@Terrick03

Trabajo Digno (Decent Work) uses the widely recognizable imagery of an orange Home Depot bucket to invite viewers to reflect on the complexities of immigration, belonging, and the fundamental human right to call a place home. The bucket is marked with the words “Home Not Deport,” a direct response to ICE raids that first began in Los Angeles at Home Depot locations, targeting undocumented day laborers.  The work contrasts a symbol of home improvement with the painful reality of kidnapping and deportation. By reworking this everyday object, the installation reminds viewers that immigrants, despite systemic barriers, call this country home and deserve to be seen as essential members of our society.  The bucket also references the visual language of street vendors who often carry and display flowers in plastic buckets throughout Los Angeles.  It asks us to reflect on immigration, identity, and the right to feel safe and rooted. At its core, Home Not Deport stands for dignity, resilience, and the belief that everyone has the right to belong. It features cempasúchil, flowers deeply connected to Día de los Muertos, and Birds of Paradise, which are native to South Africa but commonly found in Black gardens throughout South Central LA.