Better Left Unsaid, 2005

48 distinct designs hand-cut from plastic banners, called punched plastic (hundreds cut of the 48 designs)

15”x19” each banner, measurements variable

Exhibition: Galería de la Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City

Interactive element: Banners are available for sale by the sheet for a nominal fee

Papel picado is a traditional festive decoration in Mexico and, depending on the holiday, different images and/or words are cut out of the paper or plastic to create colourful banners. Better Left Unsaid looks festive, but upon reading the words on each banner, the viewer is bullied in Spanish, English, and French with double entendres. The desire is to celebrate those whose visions cross geographical, religious, gender, sexual, racial, and political borders—to transcend borders.

Words on banners:

red skin piel roja peau rouge, indian red rojo indio, yellow chale jaune, half breed moreno café au lait, whitie cara blanca blanc bec, pinko socialo, black negrillo noire, red rojo rouge, brown noser sanguijuela lèche-cul, green verde vert, pigs judas flic, dog perra chienne, cow vaca grosse vache, coon pata rajada bur, frog franchute, bitch pute, chick chiquita souris, pussy gata chatte, chicken gallina poulemouillée, slut zorra pétasse, bunny conejo bimbo, dinks riquillo bourge, trailer-parker lumpen, blue-collar ganapan prolo, white trash naco beauf, chacha boniche, yuppie junior bobo, commie rojillo coco, yes-mn chupamedias lèche-bottes, tree hugger ecoloco ecolo, granola baba, right winger derechista facho, politico polaco, fairy puñal fifre, queen reina tante, queer mariposón folle, butch trailera camionneur, dyke tortillera lesbo, baby nen nana, little lady mujercita, gal tipa, witch bruja, doll muñeca poupée, dick verga bite, cunt concha garce, nosey metiche comère, asshole ojete trou du cul, cheapo codo radin