A striking art installation made entirely of gold-painted Coleman coolers has been capturing attention near Boston's South Station, creating a powerful statement about street vendors, immigrant workers, and contemporary immigration enforcement. The piece, titled "Elevar La Cultura" with the subtitle "A Tribute to Hustle, Heritage, and Survival," stands as a bold artistic commentary on marginalized communities and their resilience.
Created by Brooklyn-based artist Victor Marka27 Quiñonez, the installation is currently hosted by the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Dewey Square. The coolers are carefully stacked to form the shape of a Mayan pyramid, adorned with mirrors, marigold garlands, and artificial fruit. According to the artist's website, the piece blends ancestral symbolism with contemporary survival tools, reclaiming space and uplifting the beauty, resilience, and cultural power of marginalized communities.
The installation draws its inspiration from street food vendors and undocumented workers who rely on coolers as essential tools for their livelihoods. "These coolers carry more than food or flowers. They carry stories. They carry legacy. They carry dreams," states the artist's description. The piece transforms these everyday objects into symbols of cultural heritage and economic survival.
The front of the installation features several coolers filled with religious statuettes from Catholic, Asian, and Latin cultures, representing the diverse origins of immigrant communities. The coolers and marigolds appear to reference ofrendas, traditional Mexican altars used to honor deceased loved ones. Public reaction has been mixed but largely positive, with one onlooker telling reporters, "I've got a lot of coolers in my basement, but I don't see them as art. But the piece is not a bad thing." Another viewer named Layla praised the artwork as "an amazing way to pay homage to the working class."
On the back of the installation, visitors can find a painting depicting a mother breastfeeding a child, though many passersby don't walk around to view this rear portion of the display. While some people stop to read the piece's description and take photographs, most pedestrians quickly pass by the installation, potentially missing its deeper political messages.
The artwork contains several subtle but pointed critiques of the Trump administration's immigration policies that many observers overlook. The coolers marking the perimeter bear fake official-looking signs reading "U.S. Inhumane and Cruelty Enforcement," which abbreviates to ICE, referencing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Additionally, some coolers at the front display modified versions of the U.S. seal in their cupholders, but with altered text reading "U.S. Department of Stolen Land Security" and "ICE" written on the eagle's shield.
This political commentary comes at a particularly relevant time, as the Trump administration has hinted at taking control of South Station, located directly across the street from the artwork. ICE presence in the area has increased following Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's noncompliance with Homeland Security demands regarding cooperation with the agency, making the installation's location especially significant.
"Elevar La Cultura" will remain on display in Boston through December before embarking on a national tour to sanctuary cities across the United States, according to Marka27's website. The piece serves as both an artistic celebration of immigrant culture and a form of political resistance, using the familiar image of coolers to tell stories of survival, heritage, and hope in contemporary America.
