These series are called "Pre-Hispanic Advertisement". I have always been interested in cultural identities and in traditions, and how these are affected by globalization. We see all the time how people wear t-shirts with foreign language signs they don't even understand, the crafts of a country suddenly become of a different one when foreigners buy them assuming they just belong. Even people of different countries that share the same language, or only share similar ethnic features are identified by ignorant eyes as compatriots ("the Mexicans" "the Chinese").
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| Nike Fair, 2004 |
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| El Ego, 2004 |
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| Cotton USA, 2004 |
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| El Ego, 2010 |
The last painting was done by commission. A friend of mine bought the first "El Ego" piece and her boyfriend who happens to be Spaniard loved it and wanted to have one as well. I made this one specially for him, having in mind that the Spaniards conquered America, and me being from Colombia learned in history class that the conquerors amazed the natives with mirrors and traded them for gold.
