My Mexican Friend

De las Manos, Yunuen Pérez and Sissy M. Reyes, 2012During the past month I designed a twelve-page catalogue for an exhibition my friend Yunuen Pérez and her creative partner Sissy M. Reyes are launching in May. What a delight it was to work with such gorgeous and colourful imagery, and with clients who were decisive, prompt to supply material and pleasant from beginning to end*!

But more importantly, the photographic exhibition is called Mex-tli, Mexican Goddesses, and reflects the pair’s respective artistic practices, with an emphasis on cross-cultural aesthetics and the power of the image.

Yunuen is a costume and production designer for theatre and multimedia, and Sissy a cinematographer and producer in a variety of independent and commercial film and media projects. A couple of years ago they decided they would combine their creative talents. They embarked on a venture exploring their experiences as Mexican immigrants in Australia, a journey that would combine two very different cultures and discover where similarity diverged and came together again. 

Jaguar’s Roar, Yunuen Pérez and Sissy M. Reyes, 2012The pair focus on Mexican indigenous women: their stories; their roles in society and legend; and the traditional costumes they wear. Depictions of ancient ceremony and modern rituals reveal meanings as layered as the highly patterned, embroidered textiles they don for these twelve self-portraits. There is a grandeur in the formal, highly constructed mise-en-scène, a glimpse of another world, another experience – and a wealth of fascinating detail. It’s a chance to open one’s eyes.

The exhibition is showing from 7–18 May at fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000.

*No designer sensibilities were harmed during the creation of this piece of graphic design.