Macholandia
MACHOLANDIA
Although undoubtedly Japan is the biggest market for comics in the world, Mexico has, at times, been just as voracious a consumer and producer of them. In fact, Mexico has spawned a unique native genre in modern comics commonly referred to as “sensacionales.” They often show lurid content of a sexually explicit and violent nature that reflect male fantasies and perpetuate gender stereotypes. In a country with such a high rate of illiteracy it is interesting that this kind of reading is the most popular, and although they are mostly regarded as trashy, it is not uncommon to find a great variety of these comic books in every newsstand.
This body of work belongs to an ongoing series that examines aspects of Mexican culture through these publications.
By working with appropriations, a more objective approach can be taken since the images and text are reproduced exactly as you would find them in the comics, thus enabling the viewer to read them more as sociological reflections rather than artistic fabrications.