the maxim of the tomato
2025
installation
2025
installation
In the maxim of the tomato, the artiss has created a sculptural installation that transforms the humble tomato pin cushion—a ubiquitous sewing tool found in homes for generations—into a poignant metaphor for the contradictions embedded in care work. Traditionally, the tomato has been associated with health, healing, and prosperity, appearing in folklore as a protective charm and in pop culture as a symbol of recovery—most notably as the Maxim Tomato in the Kirby video game series, where it instantly restores a character’s health. But in the form of a pincushion, it becomes a site of puncture, pierced over and over by needles—a vessel of both nurture and violence.
This installation amplifies this tension, reflecting on the hidden costs of care in systems that extract emotional and domestic labor as an endless resource. The exhibition space becomes a “palace of wounded tomatoes”, where 3D-printed stainless steel tomato forms—some resting on the floor, others suspended in midair—bear the marks of exhaustion and overuse. Many are punctured with needles, while others are split open to reveal fragile, vulnerable interiors, inspired by the soft, crying “inner child” of Kirby. An oversized needle pierces aluminum tomato silhouettes, literally threading through the gallery walls, binding and destabilizing the space.
This project positions the tomato pincushion as a contradiction—both a nurturing tool and a site of piercing and puncture. By exposing the exhaustion, harm, and systemic violence endured by caregivers, the artist challenges romanticized ideas of care.
The artist’s approach to labor and belief is shaped by her ongoing exploration of capitalism, consumer culture, and video game aesthetics. Her past projects have transformed Animal Crossing gameplay data into sculptural works, tracking the way leisure becomes an obligation and play morphs into labor. Here, her tomatoes are similarly doubled—evoking childhood healing tropes while simultaneously bearing the scars of overuse and exploitation. The work critiques the undervaluation of domestic and emotional labor, particularly the disproportionate burden placed on women, immigrants, and marginalized communities.
04/25/2025 - 06/28/2025
created for solo exhibition “the maxim of the tomato” at the Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art.
All the photos on this page are taken by
Nando Alvarez-Perez.
work included in the installation
maxim tomato: a good cry
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
27 3/8 x 9 x 32 1/8 inches
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
27 3/8 x 9 x 32 1/8 inches
maxim tomato: increased focus
2025
Stainless steel
11 3/4 x 11 5/8 x 11 1/8 inches
2025
Stainless steel
11 3/4 x 11 5/8 x 11 1/8 inches
maxim tomato: robust immunity
2025
Stainless steel
11 1/8 x 11 x 9 1/2 inches
2025
Stainless steel
11 1/8 x 11 x 9 1/2 inches
maxim tomato: 1 deep breath
2025
Stainless steel
12 3/4 x 12 1/8 x 15 1/4 inches
2025
Stainless steel
12 3/4 x 12 1/8 x 15 1/4 inches
maxim tomato: reduced fatigue
2025
Stainless steel
14 7/8 x 12 1/8 x 13 3/4 inches
2025
Stainless steel
14 7/8 x 12 1/8 x 13 3/4 inches
maxim tomato: a soft landing
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
14 1/8 x 14 7/8 x 5 1/4 inches
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
14 1/8 x 14 7/8 x 5 1/4 inches
maxim tomato: a comforting embrace
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
19 x 12 3/8 x 8 5/8 inches
2025
Stainless steel, pink onyx, resin
19 x 12 3/8 x 8 5/8 inches
maxim tomato: work-life balance
2025
Stainless steel
11 3/4 x 11 1/2 x 15 inches
2025
Stainless steel
11 3/4 x 11 1/2 x 15 inches
maxim tomato: genuine connection
2025
Aluminum
Dimensions variable
2025
Aluminum
Dimensions variable