Contemporary artist Andy Medina, who hails from Oaxaca, Mexico, is examining the symbols and visual language associated with Mexican identity in MEX I CAN, his latest exhibition at Los Angeles’ John Doe Gallery. Working across signage, installation, printmaking, and textiles, Medina transforms familiar cultural codes through a distinctly contemporary lens.
The exhibition extends his interest in cultural symbolism while placing Mexican visual traditions in dialogue with Western iconography. As a result, MEX I CAN becomes an exploration of identity, adaptation, and cultural memory.
Reworking Familiar Symbols
Inside John Doe Gallery, the exhibition creates the atmosphere of a brightly lit urban intersection. Road signs, reflective surfaces, and fragments of street ephemera fill the space. However, closer inspection reveals that these recognizable forms have been altered.
One hazard sign, for example, has been transformed into the silhouette of a Mesoamerican pyramid. Consequently, an everyday public symbol becomes a reference to pre-Columbian history. This visual strategy runs throughout the exhibition, where Medina uses cultural jamming to disrupt familiar associations and redirect them toward Mexican heritage.
The title MEX I CAN operates similarly. It functions as both wordplay and affirmation, reflecting the plurality of Mexican identity and its capacity for adaptation. That idea takes on particular significance for Mexican-American communities navigating political and cultural pressures in the United States.
“Today more than ever, MEX I CAN takes on relevance as a critical-political statement in a struggle where the identity of many is denied, as is the case with the Mexican-American community. Adaptability and resilience prevail,” Medina said in a statement.
From Streetwear to Motorsport
Works from Medina’s Superarme project further extend his investigation of visual identity. The series appropriates the recognizable aesthetic of streetwear giant Supreme. Rather than simply parodying the brand, however, Medina uses its familiarity as a visual entry point.
He replaces the established branding with his own wordplay. In doing so, the works point toward a Mexico shaped by overlapping histories, cultures, and aesthetics.
Elsewhere, Medina turns to motorsport through works honoring Mexican Formula 1 drivers Sergio “Checo” Pérez and Pedro Rodríguez. These pieces broaden his examination of national identity into the arena of international competition.
“The objective is to update the scope of Mexican culture and its profile in the world of competition,” Medina explained.
Across MEX I CAN, Medina ultimately presents Mexican identity as fluid rather than fixed. By remixing traffic signage, streetwear imagery, racing culture, and ancient visual traditions, he constructs a contemporary visual language rooted in history while remaining open to global influence.
John Doe Gallery
107 E 11th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015