Tijuanerías
The Torres Pacheco Triplets show us a Tijuana seen through a look that seems innocent in a series of pictorial pieces, whose recurring element is the donkey-zebra, which represents the fusion of the triplets into a single character whom we can see in different situations while passing through this city.
Although some Tijuanologists consider the donkey-zebra a kind of border artifice created with the intention of showing tourists a Mexicanness that they need to verify, the Triplets propose this character as an urban explorer in Tijuana. In this exhibition the donkey-zebra now becomes a character not only created for tourists but also a mere Tijuana native, one of those on foot.
The donkey-zebra involves aspiring to create an environment of Mexican identity in the south and center of the country, which the northern borderlander views with distrust and almost alienation.
Heriberto Yépez, “Tijuanologies” (1999-2006), Tijuana, Baja California.
1999, the year in which the Torres Pacheco Triplets came to live in the city of Tijuana at 3 years of age and then their journey began. This series tells us what it is like to be a Tijuana citizen by adoption, a non-native donkey-zebra that over the years has been discovering and adapting to the city.
In the piece “Tijuana flavor” we can see a donkey-zebra emerging from a waffle cone, with some shyness, but also with curiosity. The cone has the monumental arch of Second Street in the northern part of this city engraved. We could say that it is a donkey-zebra that is preparing to discover the area and those of us who are from Tijuana or have visited it in depth know that this zebra-donkey is going to face different situations, both pleasant and very crude.
Apparently this little donkey-zebra, on its journey through Tijuana, matured and we can now see him sitting on the border wall, between Tijuana and San Diego, California. He is in a comfortable position; According to the Triplets, the viewer must decide if the character is looking toward Tijuana or toward “the other side.” However, you don't notice any concern in the character, he seems relaxed as if he were sure that no one is after him, no one is looking for him, he doesn't have to hide, the officer is not after him.
Finally we can see a donkey-zebra in a 2.45 meter high piece, “El Tijuano”. An imposing character who holds between his fingers ropes from which 8 balls are suspended that enclose monuments, icons and representative buildings of this city. I would dare to assure that this donkey-zebra is aware of his importance on this border; he has Tijuana suspended between his fingers and does not hesitate to show us how proud he is of what he has achieved in his journey here.
October 2021