Chichiclero Print

"Chichiclero," 1996. Egg tempera, 23 k. gold leaf work on found cadboard, mounted on board; custom cloth-covered mat Like the works in the series "De visión y desecho" (and a number of other, parallel pieces), this work was painted on the bottom rectangle of a found cardboard carton, with the printed commercial lithography around the edges remaining visible, as a "frame within the frame" framing device, intended to contextualize the imagery I add to the "detritus" and refer directly back to the socioeconomic source of the support. These cartons are from the principally indigenous street vendors in Mexico, who sell chewing gum (and any number of other items) as a means of eeking out their substitance. The title is a reference to a vendor of "chicles" (chewing gum). It is also intended as a play on words, as "chichi" is a common slang term for a female breast and "clero" is a term meaning clergymen or cleric. Hence, the use of gold leaf to play with the image of not only the setting sun at the Pacific coast beach but also the "sanctified" character of tourists, at least in the eyes of needy Mexicans (the tourists, with their money, may represent something akin to "salvation" for indigenous vendors plying their wares along the streets and beaches of resort areas)...as well as the all-holy female breast (represented by the golden bikini top here). The found cardboard carton on which the work is painted was left as found (with the distortions of partially ripped or crumpled edges as they were). The carton was mounted on heavier stock board prior to the aplication of the gesso, bistre, gold leaf and egg tempera. The specially cut, cloth-covered artesanal mat was hand-made by the artist (who has worked as a professional picture framer) in accordance with the specific contours of the deformed edging. The actual support with the painting measures approximately 10 1/4 x 7 1/2 in. (26 x 19 cm). Matted and framed (behind glass) in a simple box-style natural wood frame, the piece measures 20 1/4 x 16 3/4 x 1 3/8 in. This painting was one of several similar ones by the artist that were selected for inclusion in the historical survey "Pintura en Jalisco 1950-2000" (Painting in Jalisco: 1950-2000), shown at Guadalajara's Instituto Cultural Cabañas and later traveling to the Museo del Ex Arzobispado in Mexico City. It appears in the catalogue for that exhibition.

Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper

Size:8 W x 10 H x 0.1 D in

Size with Frame:13.25 W x 15.25 H x 1.2 D in

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