Explore "¡2020!"
Discover hidden details in "¡2020!" a mixed media sculpture by artists Einar and Jamex de la Torre, a part of the "Collidoscope" traveling exhibition.
The de la Torre Brothers
Jamex and Einar de la Torre, known as the de la Torre Brothers, were born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. as children. Their art speaks to their experiences on both sides of the border and uses many materials such as blown glass, resin casting, and lenticular prints.
¡2020! Side Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
A Year that would have no equal
"¡2020!" was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was an auspicious year in so many ways,” says Einar de la Torre, “that has, I think, left an indelible mark on our society." Jamex adds that "2020 felt like a year that will have no equal."
¡2020! Front Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Taking Reigns of 2020
"What we wanted to show is this little emperor with a remote control in his hand sort of taking reigns of 2020," explained Jamex. Using a baby to represent a year is a common metaphor, while the old year is represented as an old man.
¡2020! Side Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Bed Frame
Often the brothers' collect objects for use in their artworks. The metal doll bedframe was something they acquired at a swap meet.
¡2020! Front Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Baby's Body
The brothers' acquired the baby from a swap meet. Einar and Jamex removed the baby's original head and replaced it with a blown glass piece. "The head transplant was successful” says Jamex. “There is one head rolling around in our studio looking for a body, though."
¡2020! Detail of Skull (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Day of the Dead Sugar Skull
In Mexico and the U.S. sugar skulls are given out during Day of the Dead festivities. "When you're a kid one once a year, you're handed a sugar skull that might have your name written on the forehead” says Jamex. “And I think it's a beautiful custom.”
¡2020! Side Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Glass or Candy?
“We always we often marveled about how glass has this wonderful seductive sweetness” says Einar. “So by making this this series of skulls, we wanted to talk about how - being like candy, it can have that saccharin or double edged sword."
¡2020! Detail of Ashtrays (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Keep the Bedbugs Away
Look closely! "And in the in the very bottom, at the at the end of the legs of the bed, there is this little containers with bugs stuck in the resin" says Jamex de la Torre. "Just like the way we used to put the little bottle caps under the bed to keep the bedbugs away.”
¡2020! Detail of Bed (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Tattoos
“The drawings all over the body is something my brother started to do all of a sudden with pencil," recalls Einar. "They also have this strange quality of the pencil that will eventually ... move around a little bit like real tattoos.”
¡2020! Side Profile (2020) by Einar de la Torre; Jamex de la Torre; Philipp Scholz RittermannSmithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino
Remote Control
"Another important detail of the sculpture is the fact that the baby is holding a remote control for changing the channel," says Jamex. "So this nasty baby is just about to rudely change the channel on our realities."
What channel will the baby pick next?
Keep Exploring!
Learn more about the "Collidoscope" exhibition. The exhibition was made possible through a collaboration between the National Museum of the American Latino and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum. Support for the national tour by NMAL.
The exhibition was made possible through a collaboration between the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum. Support for the national tour was generously provided by the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino.
