Elvis Meets the Virgin of Guadalupe

Born in Mexico City, Chagoya moved to the U.S. in 1977. He uses humor and satire to address the effects of colonial exploitation, war, and consumer culture. His works combine pre-Columbian artistic formats, Catholic iconography, and popular culture. Here, the "King of Rock and Roll" is depicted in an act of penitence—a stream of tears rolling down his cheek as he gazes at the patron saint of Mexico, the Virgin of Guadalupe. Both figures appear twice in different sizes, recalling the doubling in Andy Warhol’s silkscreens of Elvis. Chagoya also uses scale to invert the cultural hegemony of the U.S., putting the American icon in the position of gazing up in adoration of the Mexican icon.