Caligráfias Urbanas is a visual experiment organized by Mexico City’s government and La Curtiduría Projects. Under the theme “City & Identity” the organizers have invited 10 hot curators to choose 10 visual artists. Each creator had to make 2 pieces specifically for the exhibit. The first piece is a one color print serigraphy; this material is part of a box of 100 prints. The second piece is a poster for Mexico’s city bus stops. Caligráfias Urbanas shows a true picture of Mexican design and contemporary styles.

The print called “Camotero” is based in an urban character who sells camotes (sweet potatoes) and baked plantains. A camotero walks the streets every day; he always appears in the late evening. His products are hot because he comes with a little kind of locomotive. Every 10 or 15 minutes the machine makes a tell-tale steam noise to announce that the camotero is in the neighborhood.

The poster “Ya pegó su chicle” shows another aspect of Mexican reality. In most of Mexico’s cities, it is very common to find gum pasted on the sidewalks. The poster has two meanings – the first one is literarily describing a piece of gum that is stuck to the floor. The second is more interesting because “ya pegó su chicle” has the additional meaning of “you are falling in love” in Mexican slang. A chewed piece of gum in the shape of a heart illustrates the double meaning of the print.