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“Sleepy Mexican” Gets Big And Crumbly, Becomes Art

November 23, 2008

Big rumblings from the Arizona/Mexican border, where a Canadian and Cuban artist labor to build a 12-foot-tall sand sculpture of a sombrero-shaded sleepy Mexican.

The snoozing senor is “commonly found in tourist souvenirs,” according to a press release posted on artdaily.org. It’s not all that common, but it is a familiar sight at South of the Border and in gift shops with sizable salt and pepper shaker selections. The press release calls the sculpture “provocative” and claims that its creators are “acknowledging the social construct of the ‘disappearing’ Indian through a sculpture which will literally disintegrate through exposure to the elements.”

Well, okay.

If super-sizing a souvenir and sticking it in a desert makes it art, then let’s not ignore the possibilities presented by the mermaid back scratcher, the stuffed squirrel thermometer, or the naughty Mexican cactus holder (which never appears to be sleepy).

Sections: Attraction News, Souvenirs, Statues

2 Responses to ““Sleepy Mexican” Gets Big And Crumbly, Becomes Art”

1. Cindy Sue Causey Says:
   November 25th, 2008 at 12:11 am

   With that there is a movement somewhere afoot to vanquish the image of the sleeping senor*, especially ones like these pictured with the apparent bottle of tequila in hand, as stereotypical, possibly even racist, a sand sculpture that erodes away into history seems very apropos when taken in that light..

   Cyber hugs from Talking Rock (which at least one local lores book rumors received its name from a tree), Georgia..

   * George Lopez :: “George Can’t Let Sleeping Mexicans Lie”; Season 6, Episode 15 (title #tt1017573 @ imdb.com)

2. Oggy Says:
   November 27th, 2008 at 11:37 am

   Will my Mexican neighbor’s Bareheaded-Bald-Anglo-Golfer-With-Sun-Cancers yard statue ever disintegrate through exposure to the elements?

   Doubt it.

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