The Construction Worker Project is a collaboration between Duke undergraduates and local construction workers to document the lives of these men and women and what they contribute to our society. It includes the installation at the top of this page based on the Durham skyline, which was created by artist Hermes Illana, an immigrant from Brazil himself, which is 4 feet by 12 feet and available for free exhibit in schools and elsewhere. Its design makes visible the sometimes-invisible work that goes into creating the city. Photographs were taken by students, construction workers, and Hermes Illana; all the quotes come from interviews conducted by students with workers. The eight construction workers (without last names to protect identities) who participated in the project are: Ernesto, Saul, Marvin, Omar, Tere, Melvin, Fredy, Filemón.
This exhibition was sponsored in part by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.
