'Because We Eat': Installation by Antonia Davis

"Because We Eat - How Growing Our Food Affects Farmworkers" is a multimedia installation by Antonia Davis that shines a light on the invisible labor behind the food we consume.

The centerpiece of the installation is a dining table with a quilted and embroidered tablecloth. Engraved place settings and chairs each tell a story of a farmworker, highlighting the physical, emotional, and social costs of the work that produces the food that sustains us all.

Every stitch and detail embodies respect for the resilience, endurance, and dignity of farmworkers. This work asks us to honor their struggles, to acknowledge the fruits of their labor and to see our shared humanity in the act of eating.

Davis is a lifelong artivist whose creative practice is rooted in amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Since 2003, Davis has worked at the intersection of art and social justice, co-founding the San Diego Puppet Insurgency to provide visual storytelling and art builds to grassroots organizations, student groups, and local social movements.

This exhibition was previously installed at Centro Cultural de la Raza (March - May 2024) and the Chicano Park Museum (May - October 2024). This installation calls viewers to partake in interactive reflection and it continues to grow through community engagement. We are grateful for the Kroc School of Peace Studies for sponsoring this exhibition.

Galleries are closed for university holidays:
November 27, Thanksgiving and Friday, November 28

Antonia Davis on Instagram