ESSENTIALS

ESSENTIALS, by photographer Sarah Wilson, is a community-facing, interactive public art project honoring front-line women workers in Austin, Texas.⁠

⁠After a community-wide call for nominations yielded over 100 potential honorees (see @essentialsatx), 15 essential women workers were selected to be photographed in a safe and distanced outdoor photo shoot. These earnest portraits highlighting the individuals and the work that they do, are printed large-scale (up to 20 feet tall) and wheat-pasted on buildings throughout Austin (see MAP).

SW on Ladder.jpeg
 

Wilson seeks to honor those who've risked their lives to keep Austin healthy and safe during this difficult time.  She has specifically chosen to highlight, the women, including gender-fluid/non-binary and trans women, whose essential work in the areas of font-line health, public safety, food services, and so much more, is so crucial to our survival, especially now.  This project received initial funding from the @DoughertyArtsCenter and Austin's Museums & Cultural Program’s ArtsResponders: Social Practice Responds to COVID-19.

Visit all 4 locations. More to come! ESSENTIALS, is a community-facing, interactive public art project by artist Sarah Wilson, honoring the front-line women workers of Austin.⁠ ⁠ After a city-wide call for nominations that yielded over 100 potential honorees, Wilson selected 15 essential women workers.