When I last visited the Museo Fernando Garcia Ponce Macay in Mérida, Yucatán in 2020, there was an exhibit of the sculptures of Rodrigo De la Sierra. They made an impression on me by their dark sense of humor—almost Kafkaesque.

One thing I have learned about Mexican art: There is no hesitation to hit the viewer between the eyes with a sledgehammer. Here are two more samples of De la Sierra’s work:

De la Sierra’s “Memento Mori”

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De la Sierra’s “Strength Is Gained by Advancing”

Here is a bio of the artist from his website:

Rodrigo De la Sierra lives and works in Mexico City where he was born in 1971. After completing his Bachelor’s in Architecture, and a course on Creativity at Universidad del Valle de México, he worked as an architect for 12 years. De la Sierra later studied Plastic Arts for 4 years, taking different workshops such as Materials and Patina Techniques, and Sculpture Workshop at the Pippal’s Sculpture and Art Circle. He was trained in modeling, wood carving, molds and casting, and figurative sculpture at Universidad Iberoamericana. After that, he went on with his development through a self-teaching approach.

In 2016, he receives an Honorary Doctorate from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, and in his honor, the Architecture and Design Faculty of the UAEM names the Art Plaza Rodrigo de la Sierra “Timoteo”. In 2018, in homage to his professional career and his social assistance works, Lotería Nacional dedicates its draw to his character Timoteo. That same year, Timoteo appears in the national Post Stamp to commemorate “World Post Day”. In 2021, he is positioned by Forbes magazine in the Top 10 of the 100 Most Creative Mexicans in the world. Today, his work is exhibited in Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Puebla, Xalapa, Chicago, and cities in South Korea and Malaysia.