Alejandro Cartagena
CAR POOLERS #53, 2011-2012
Archival Pigment Print on Paper
20 x 12 1/4 in
50.8 x 31.1 cm
Edition 6/10 plus 2 APs
Available at VFA
For more than twenty years, Alejandro Cartagena (b. 1977) has been exploring environmental, economic and social issues through his camera lens.
Cartagena was born in the Dominican Republic and moved with his family to Monterey, Mexico when he was thirteen. He became fascinated with the family photo albums that his parents had brought with them to Mexico and interested in using photographs to tell stories.
He works in series, which allows him to give his works clarity and understanding. His Carpoolers series, available at VFA, is a study in perseverance. “I went to the same place at the same time for a year and the same trucks reappeared on different days, weeks, and months.” he said in an interview with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), “Inadvertently, the project’s theme expanded from workers going to work to the routine of the city and how these micro actions must happen over and over again for the city to function.”
Cartagena was given a retrospective at SFMOMA this month that included works from the many series that he has done.
Twelve works from the Carpoolers series were recently acquired by the prestigious National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, marking an important recognition for Cartagena and the relevance of his work. The Carpoolers series was featured the The Guardian in 2012 and, more recently, the series has gone viral on instagram and seems to have struck a universal chord.
Shepard Fairey (b.1970) has been an artist and activist since his school days at the Rhode Island School of Design.
His latest work is the poster for the documentary film, Steal This Story, Please, that focuses on the work of journalist Amy Goodman. Goodman visited Fairey and spoke with him about his recent works.
Fairey not only deals with social issues, but has also been active in raising awareness for those, like himself, with diabetes. He has been a leading contributor to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and many other organizations.
His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He lives and works in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
Please contact us if you would like more information about the work of Alejandro Cartagena and Shepard Fairey available at VFA.
References:
Emily Wilson. Photographer Alejandro Cartagena Captures Shifting Social Landscapes, Themes That Transcend Borders. San Francisco Public Press. April 7, 2026.
Arturo Soto. Alejandro Cartagena’s Ground Rules. The Brooklyn Rail. April 2026.
Collater.al Contributors. Travelling in a Pick-Up Truck, Between Social Criticism and Art. Collater.al. April 2026.
