If you’ve ever been to Mexico or perhaps a Mexican market, you might have come across a colorful array of cards depicting a variety of people, places, and things, each with its associated Spanish word. Originally, I thought these cards were used for some sort of divination. While some folks have found a way to use them for soothsaying, their actual use is for a bingo game. Regardless of how one uses these cards, they are a wonderful bit of Mexican pop culture.
Loteria, which translates to “lottery,” dates back to the 15th century, originally making its way to Mexico from Italy and Spain. The game involves a deck of 54 cards, each featuring a distinct image, such as “El Gallo” (The Rooster), “La Sirena” (The Mermaid), and “El Catrin” (The Dandy). Players mark their boards with beans, coins, or pebbles as a caller announces each card drawn from the deck. The first to complete a predetermined pattern shouts “Loteria!” and claims victory.
As an assemblage artist, I’m always tweaking everyday items into some weird new iteration. The idea of creating 3D Loteria cards was born from a desire to celebrate this iconic game while adding a new dimension—quite literally—and to do something with the piles of doodads laying around my studio. Traditional Loteria cards are already rich in symbolism and storytelling; adding a third dimension enhances their narrative power.
Admittedly, many of my cards stray from the original source and add a bit of my dark sense of humor, such as the “La Gemelas” (Twins) card I created, which is straight out of Stephen King’s “The Shining.”
As it turns out I’ll be selling my latest series on my website starting August 10th. So mark you calendars and swing on by website to get your own 3d Loteria card. https://www.michaeldemeng.com/loteriasale2024
