Kim Dacres, a native New Yorker, has crafted a unique artistic practice centered around found tires and bicycle parts. Her Tuesday morning ritual of scavenging through her neighborhood for these materials is integral to her creative process. Dacres' current exhibition, Lost on a Two Way Street, showcases her distinct approach to transforming rubber and bike parts into powerful commentary on oppression, particularly targeting marginalized groups. Her fascination with rubber stems from its ubiquitous nature, resilience, and olfactory connection to home and freedom. Dacres' work goes beyond material; it explores how objects circulate among people and reveal their emotional worlds. The artist's latest series, Forget Me Nots, pays tribute to her community members, honoring their impact on her mental health. The exhibition title and artwork names also pay homage to iconic Black musicians, reflecting the weight of the world during its creation. Dacres' shift from individual people to larger concepts, such as environmental disaster and LGBTQ+ rights, is evident in her vibrant sculptures. Her work delves into difficult truths about our world, including barriers to education, citizenship concerns, and civil and human rights threats. Dacres' artistic practice has developed a signature vocabulary that probes the capacity of material to carry and interpret these truths. Her work is a testament to the power of art in reflecting and challenging societal issues.
