Roadkill

Roadkill was installed from October 1st through November 15th in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago.

2023

In collaboration with the Hubcap Collective, specifically Katherine Skwira-Brown, Ruth McManus, and Darien Ridenour

hubcaps! headlights, stoplight lenses, taillight lenses, fabric mache, plastercloth, plastic tarp, chickenwire, 5 sets of LEDs, acrylic paint, latex house paint, wood supports, wood frame, stakes, zipties, paracord, misc screws, wire, blood, sweat, tears, a great deal of faith

Roadkill was a 50-foot hubcap serpent, crafted with care by core Hubcap Collective members Katherine Skwira-Brown, Ruth McManus, Darien Ridenour, and Ella Fainaru-Wada (that’s me!). Made for the 2023 Terrain Biennial, Roadkill wore her treasure as armor, scaring the hubcaps off of passing cars. At night she would glow from within, lit by LEDs and the ghosts of engines past.

left to right: Ruth McManus, Darien Ridenour, Katherine Skwira-Brown, Ella Fainaru-Wada

Her head, made from fabric mache, is lit by two sets of LEDs: one in the upper jaw/skull, and one in the tongue

Roadkill's tail drips with taillights from cars she's stripped to the frame.