Artist Kim Dacres transforms scavenged auto parts—tires and bicycle rubber—into sculptures and busts that honor her Harlem community. Her current exhibition at Charles Moffett gallery, "Lost on a Two Way Street," features 18 works made from found rubber, valves, and bike parts, expanding on her 2025 series "Crossroads Like This." Dacres's weekly "Tire Tuesday" ritual, where she collects materials from local bike shops, is integral to her process, and her new "Forget Me Nots" wall works pay tribute to individuals she encounters in her neighborhood.
Dacres's work matters because it uses discarded materials to address systemic oppression of marginalized groups, including women, queer, and immigrant communities. By elevating the resilience of rubber—a material that absorbs trauma—she draws parallels to the strength of those she depicts. Her practice also highlights the overlooked stories of everyday people, challenging reductive judgments based on appearance or profession, and underscores the importance of community bonds in maintaining mental health.