Chicle

A little bit about Chicle.

The world "chicle", which is written in the blue circle on her hat, is the Spanish word for gum. Within this blue circle is a tree known as the Sapodilla. The Mayan people used to chew on the fruit of this tree and it was one of the earliest uses of what would become our modern day version of gum. The pom poms on her hat are an allusion to gumballs. If you haven't picked up on it by now, this piece is all about gum, which to me represents youth and innocence. Her sassy side eye is supposed to contrast the bright colors and even perhaps lead one to conclude that she is not someone to be trifled with. The nose and ear jewelry is a call back to Mayan and Aztec cultures and is meant to give a clue to her origins and also the origins of chicle itself. Finally, the Luchador card is a play on the fact that in America when you buy a pack of baseball cards you got a stick of gum. I re-imagined this for Mexican culture and got the idea for Luchador cards that would also offer you a piece of chicle. A Luchador is a Mexican wrestler, but the root word "lucha" means fight or struggle and in a way this piece is about the struggle to protect or maintain youth and innocence.