Safety pins have been used in Jimenez Underwood’s work for decades now, a material she considers laced with metaphor: “I love the safety pin because it’s a very, very humble object in our society, yet it has this power to connect. And it’s often overlooked. I always felt that the most important things are overlooked in our society and culture. So, I’m here to bring them to the forefront.” The beadwork reminds us that everyone needs even a little joy at the edge.

Taken from California 1990s road signs found near the border, the image of a family fleeing has appeared several times in Jimenez Underwood’s work. It mimics the format of a deer-crossing sign, a parallel which made the artist reflect: “they’re thinking of us as animals now.”