The title of this exhibition at Fitchburg Art Museum comes from a legal exercise in which participants argue the definition of a “vehicle” as prohibited in a public space. Would a skateboard, stroller, or wheelchair be considered a vehicle? Are there ever exceptions to the rule, such as an ambulance that needs totransport an injured patient? Legal language is meant to express with efficiency and clarity, but ambiguity is frequently present—and sometimes welcomed. In the legal system, words wield power. They direct case outcomes and expose skewed power dynamics between prosecution and defense.

Language is inherently imperfect. This notion forms the basis of this work, which is largely influenced by Sosa’s twelve years of experience as a Spanish-language interpreter in the Massachusetts Trial Court. This work explores the ambiguity of language, the power dynamics embedded in legal jargon, and the consequences of phrasing. No Vehicles in the Park features work that urges us to consider the contradictions in the American legal system, the impact of past tradition on the present, and the openness of interpretation.