For numerous artists, childhood and youth serve as both traumatic and absolutely inspiring experiences that shape their entire oeuvre. Andy Warhol’s Pop Art would have been unimaginable if he hadn’t been brought up in the Catholic Orthodox, Eastern European working class milieu of the industrial city of Pittsburgh. Similarly, the work of British artist Tracey Emin is closely intertwined with the discriminatory sexual experiences she had during her youth, growing up in precarious circumstances in the coastal town of Margate, England.
La Chola Poblette’s exhibition Guaymallén pays tribute to her native region Mendoza and a reflection of the diverse experiences and cultural influences that have shaped her as an artist. Much like Warhol and Emin, her fascination with her origins is tied to an exploration of themes such as class, identity, tradition, mass culture, and spirituality.
La Chola Poblete was born as Mauricio Poblete in 1989 into a working-class family of Bolivian heritage. His mother was a domestic laborer, while his stepfather made a living as a truck driver. The family led a modest life, often teetering on the edge of poverty, and Mauricio spent his formative years living with his grandmother. Due to his homosexuality and darker skin color, Mauricio encountered discrimination within his community. His experiences were marred by prejudice, leading to hurtful labels such as “Boliperuvian.” During this period, the notion of “brown identity” remained largely unacknowledged, and conversations about racism were few and far between.
Simultaneously, pop culture, comics, and music played a formative role in La Chola Poblete’s adolescence. In the 1990s, the Rolinga culture flourished, sparked by a Rolling Stones concert. Fans developed a deep affection for both the Stones and the Argentine bands influenced by them. These bands’s lyrics increasingly centered on local life and the struggles of the underprivileged. This shared passion fostered a sense of unity among fans, akin to the camaraderie seen among soccer enthusiasts. Meanwhile, a distinctive Argentine hard rock and metal scene began to take shape, the aesthetics of which La Chola Poblete references in her artistic work. Her banner pays homage to this era while evoking associations with rock, soccer, and political resistance.
On the wallpaper, La Chola Poblete skillfully merges the vibrant, hard rock lettering of “Guaymallén” with mask-clad dancers recalling a rave, a ritualistic performance, or even voguing. Through these artworks, La Chola Poblete blends gender theory with an exploration of racism and inequality, all the while investigating the specific nuances of pop, rock, club, and working-class culture. Her montages defy the separation between high and popular culture, challenging the notion that discussions about identity and class are inherently incompatible.
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La Chola Poblete
For numerous artists, childhood and youth serve as both traumatic and absolutely inspiring experiences that shape their entire oeuvre. Andy Warhol’s Pop Art would have been unimaginable if he hadn’t been brought up in the Catholic Orthodox, Eastern European working class milieu of the industrial city of Pittsburgh. Similarly, the work of British artist Tracey Emin is closely intertwined with the discriminatory sexual experiences she had during her youth, growing up in precarious circumstances in the coastal town of Margate, England.
La Chola Poblette’s exhibition Guaymallén pays tribute to her native region Mendoza and a reflection of the diverse experiences and cultural influences that have shaped her as an artist. Much like Warhol and Emin, her fascination with her origins is tied to an exploration of themes such as class, identity, tradition, mass culture, and spirituality.
La Chola Poblete was born as Mauricio Poblete in 1989 into a working-class family of Bolivian heritage. His mother was a domestic laborer, while his stepfather made a living as a truck driver. The family led a modest life, often teetering on the edge of poverty, and Mauricio spent his formative years living with his grandmother. Due to his homosexuality and darker skin color, Mauricio encountered discrimination within his community. His experiences were marred by prejudice, leading to hurtful labels such as “Boliperuvian.” During this period, the notion of “brown identity” remained largely unacknowledged, and conversations about racism were few and far between.
Simultaneously, pop culture, comics, and music played a formative role in La Chola Poblete’s adolescence. In the 1990s, the Rolinga culture flourished, sparked by a Rolling Stones concert. Fans developed a deep affection for both the Stones and the Argentine bands influenced by them. These bands’s lyrics increasingly centered on local life and the struggles of the underprivileged. This shared passion fostered a sense of unity among fans, akin to the camaraderie seen among soccer enthusiasts. Meanwhile, a distinctive Argentine hard rock and metal scene began to take shape, the aesthetics of which La Chola Poblete references in her artistic work. Her banner pays homage to this era while evoking associations with rock, soccer, and political resistance.
On the wallpaper, La Chola Poblete skillfully merges the vibrant, hard rock lettering of “Guaymallén” with mask-clad dancers recalling a rave, a ritualistic performance, or even voguing. Through these artworks, La Chola Poblete blends gender theory with an exploration of racism and inequality, all the while investigating the specific nuances of pop, rock, club, and working-class culture. Her montages defy the separation between high and popular culture, challenging the notion that discussions about identity and class are inherently incompatible.
Further artworks from this exhibition
La Chola Poblete: Guaymallén
Pop Icon, Holy Virgin, Pachamama: La Chola’s Vírgenes Watercolors
Materiality, Metaphors, and Opposites
Myths and Madonnas: Staged Photographs
Playing with Cultural Expectations: La Chola Poblete and the Nazca Lines
Venus papas lays, 2023
Venus Cacharos, 2023
The Striped Column: A Tribute to Freddi Mamani Silvestre’s Neo-Andean Architectural Style