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Chucherias: notes on Mexican souvenirs

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Hands holding two closed neon pink books, with text reading 'Chucherias' on the front cover.

Chucherias: notes on Mexican souvenirs

Date: 2024
Artist: Regina González Rossi (Mexican)
Dimensions:
14.8 x 10cm
Medium: Book
Object number: UAC 1145
DescriptionRegina studied MA Graphic Media Design at London College of Communication. She says: 'My fascination with Mexican souvenirs began in childhood during family trips across Mexico, where I first observed how a single object could be simultaneously familiar and strange. This personal connection evolved into a structured research project comparing London's tourist shops with Huatulco's Mercado Tres de Mayo. Drawing from He and Timothy's research, I analyse souvenirs in three categories: localised souvenirs, generic souvenirs, and customised souvenirs. Through this investigation, I discovered that customised souvenirs could be further understood as Nationalised Foreign Souvenirs and Globalised Local Souvenirs. The findings are presented through a hand-bound publication, featuring custom lithography and risograph prints. The work particularly examines Huatulco's custom souvenirs and their accompanying 'souvenir paraphernalia'—packaging, labels, and tags—exploring how these seemingly simple objects serve as cultural bridges in our increasingly interconnected world'.