Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May) is a minor holiday in Mexico, but a big reason for Mexicans to celebrate their heritage and cultural pride in the United States. In recognition of the holiday, which commemorates the Mexican army’s defeat of invading French forces in the 1860s, we’ve assembled an exciting mix of contemporary Mexican artists who are becoming world renowned. Rooted in folklore, social issues, and popular culture, these artists — ranging from Gabriel Orozco, who’s been canonized at MoMA, and Damián Ortega, a standout at London’s White Cube, to Julieta Aranda, a rising star who has tricked out the Guggenheim — turn the local into the conceptual for international appetites.
A tattoo artist living in Oaxaca, Dr. Lakra alters magazine tear sheets of wrestlers and pin-up girls, as well as anatomical illustrations and found objects, with cartoon drawings that reference sex, death, demons, and historical themes.
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