Jesus “Cimi” Alvarado

Product Description

Yoliztli is a self-portrait by Jesus “Cimi” Alvarado that portrays the culture of Chicanos. The artist makes use of a Renaissance pose, in this case the image of the Sacred Heart, paying homage to his birth-name and Catholicism. A Mayan death god named Cimi, who adds three roses to the Sacred Heart, one for Alvarado’s mother and two for his daughters, tattoos the figure. To the left of Alvarado is the Aztec life god Yoliztli, adding a spiritual balance to the composition. Spanish tile designs surround the ghostly figures and a faint number 16 tattooed on Alvarado’s forearm indicates the 16th year of Serie Project.

Alvarado was born in Ciudad Juarez, but grew up in El Paso, just a mile away from the border. He studied with Gaspar Enriquez during high school and became active with graffiti art, where he earned his colloquial fame name “Cimi.” Alvarado is primarily a muralist, but often works with large-scale pastel drawings. After living in Dallas and Albuquerque, he returned to El Paso where he currently lives and works.

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