Barcarole

Gregg Chadwick
Barcarole
14"x14" oil on linen 2012

Revealing the Unseen: The Provocative Art of Ramiro Gomez

by Gregg Chadwick

“Often these sectors of the labor force become invisible—we’re used to them attending our gardens, taking care of our kids, cleaning our homes and they almost become invisible.”      

-Lizette Guerra, archivist and librarian at the UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center 

"Happy Hills is my body of work documenting the predominantly hispanic workforce, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to present the beautiful images of the ideal Hollywood Hills homes."
- Ramiro Gomez

Ramiro Gomez Outside the Beverly Hills Hotel During an Artistic Intervention
from a video by Jorge Rivas

The artwork of the young Los Angeles based artist Ramiro Gomez reveals the unseen hands and faces of the often underpaid and under appreciated laborers who keep the more affluent areas of the Los Angeles basin manicured and green. Using the simple materials of cardboard and paint, Gomez creates labor portraits of the hispanic workers that work behind the scenes at posh hotels and trendy restaurants. With a utility blade, Gomez cuts out these almost Hockney like figures and then places them in public settings where his artistic subjects work.  These artistic interventions are witty, respectful, and deeply provocative. 

Ramiro Gomez
Leonardo Torres
11"x8.5" acrylic on LUXE interiors magazine 

 Ramiro Gomez also creates smaller works on paper that utilize pages from lifestyle magazines. These small scale interventions include figures of laborers that Gomez documents in acrylic paint. If you are in the Los Angeles area and driving through Beverly Hills, take note of the workers who often remain unnoticed. Ramiro Gomez' artwork is a powerful reminder to remain attentive.

Ramiro Gomez

Socorro folds the laundry

11"x8.5" acrylic on LUXE interiors magazine

Video by Jorge Rivas

Jorge Rivas in ColorLines notes that:

"A recent UCLA study found nearly 75% of child care workers and 35% of maids and housekeepers in Los Angeles County were paid at an hourly rate lower than the minimum wage. Many home health care workers (97%) and child care workers, maids, and housekeepers (87%) also reported being required to work when they were not on the clock - that is, they did not get paid for all of the work they did, according to a Research & Policy Brief from the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment."

More at:

Ramiro Gomez Website

Jorge Rivas on Ramiro Gomez in ColorLines

In a New York State of Mind

by Gregg Chadwick

Super Bowl Sunday has grown to become a secular holiday that rivals Thanksgiving in the United States. I just got off the phone with my brother and our New Jersey/New York roots run deep. Sporting events from this past weekend remind me how much I carry Spike Lee's and my Grandpa Chadwick's sporting allegiances with me. Jeremy Lin's astounding play for the New York Knicks basketball squad last night proved to be a harbinger for the New York Giants inspired play today. Tomorrow morning will be a bit sweeter as New Yorkers access their newspapers of choice. For me, memories of late Saturday nights in the Village buying Sunday's New York Times at a corner grocery never fail to bring a smile to my face.

As did Clint Eastwood's inspired role in this year's Chrysler ad. I'd recognize that silhouette anywhere. Doesn't look like Carmel's Hog's Breath to me though. I've been in a Noir mood myself with a studio full of new paintings and new ideas.

Chrysler Commercial: It's Halftime in America

In a subtle nod to union labor and the struggles in Wisconsin, a brief snippet of the protests against the soon to be deposed Governor Walker appears in the Chrysler ad.

Wisconsin's Capitol Dome glows on a cold Madison night as protestors gather to support union labor. Importantly, Clint Eastwood is also a union supporter as a member of the Screen Actors Guild. 

Tonight, I salute my Meadowlands ties from Newark, to Bloomfield, to Montclair, to Asbury Park, to Manhattan, to Columbia, to NYU. 

Congrats to New York - my city of Dreams

Tom Morello's New Song "Union Town" Roars in Solidarity With Workers Across the Globe

"Performing in Madison, Wisconsin and seeing 100,000 people in the streets demanding justice inspired me to record an album of union fighting songs. I've been a proud union man for 22 years and my mom was a union public high school teacher, so for me this fight is very personal. Unions are a crucial counterweight to the raw corporate greed that torpedoed our economy, threatens our environment and wants to strip away decades of social progress. From Cairo to Madison, workers are pushing back and tyrants are falling. Here's a soundtrack for our fight."
-Tom Morello


The full length UNION TOWN EP will be released digitally
May 17th with all proceeds going towards pro-union struggles.

On February 21st of this year, Tom Morello performed at the Capitol Square in Madison, Wisconsin in protest to an anti-union bill put forward by Governor Scott Walker. Morello explains in his editorial about the experience, “Frostbite and Freedom: Tom Morello on the Battle of Madison,” at RollingStone.com:

For days I had been following the exciting events in Cairo and across the Middle East. But when I turned on the television and saw 100,000 people marching through the streets of MADISON, WISCONSIN to protest an anti-union bill put forward by some schmuck named Governor Walker it caught my attention. I turned to my wife and said, "Honey, our boys are gonna grow up to be union men." She sighed and replied, "The Nightwatchman is needed. You should go."

And so The Nightwatchman went.

A nice lady at the airport looked at my guitar and politely asked, "Why are you going to Madison, young man?" I replied, "Because they're making history in Madison, ma'am. And I don't want to miss it."

The title track from the Union Town EP (full track listing below) is available now at SaveWorkers.org. On the heels of Union Town, Tom Morello, as The Nightwatchman, will release his third full length solo album, World Wide Rebel Songs, late Summer via New West Records.


Gregg Chadwick
Engine Company
48" x 36" oil on canvas 2011

The America Votes Labor Unity Fund supports the unified efforts of a broad coalition of national labor organizations to defend workers and their unions against state legislation, ballot measures and executive orders that will undermine or destroy their rights. The America Votes Labor Unity Fund accepts donations from labor organizations and individuals who donate on their own behalf. Please visit www.saveworkers.org for more details and to make a donation.

Tom is set to release Union Town via New West Records digitally on May 17th with a physical CD and Vinyl release to follow on July 19th. All profits from Union Town will benefit The America Votes Labor Unity Fund via SaveWorkers.org.

The studio recording consists of 8 pro-union songs featuring three Tom Morello originals, as well as the Woody Guthrie classic “This Land Is Your Land” (including the more radical, often censored verses).




Tom Morello : The Nightwatchman Union Town Track Listing:
1. Union Town
2. Solidarity Forever
3. Which Side Are You On?
4. A Wall Against The Wind
5. 16 Tons
6. This Land Is Your Land
7. I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night
8. Union Song (Live - Capitol Square, Madison, Wisconsin Feb. 21st, 2011)

Polish Trade Union Solidarnosc (Solidarity) Releases Letter in Support of Wisconsin Union Workers

To Public Service Workers in the State of Wisconsin

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

On behalf of the 700,000 members of the Polish Trade Union NSZZ “Solidarnosc” (Solidarity) I wish to express our solidarity and support for your struggle against the recent assault on trade unions and trade union rights unleashed by Governor Scott Walker.
We are witnessing yet another attempt of transferring the costs of the economic crisis and of the failed financial policies to working people and their families. As much as some adjustments are necessary, we can not and must not agree that the austerity measures are synonymous with union-busting practices, the elimination of bargaining rights and the reduction of social benefits and wages.

Dear friends, please rest assured that our thoughts are with you during your protest, as we truly do hope that your just fight for decent working and living conditions, for the workers’ rights will be successful.
Your victory is our victory as well.

In Solidarity,
Piotr Duda President

Wisconsin Protests Set to Arcade Fire's Song "Rebellion"

Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill Protest from Matt Wisniewski on Vimeo.

Wisconsin Protests Set to Arcade Fire's Song "Rebellion"

This one is for my cousin Anne Johnson who has been at the Capitol building in Madison each day this week.
Keep the faith. As Wisconsin goes, so goes the country.