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La nave espacial Maya 2012 ( The Mayan Spaceship 2012)

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La nave espacial Maya 2012 ( The Mayan Spaceship 2012)

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This Linocut print focuses on a futuristic spaceship shaped like the Mayan temple, blasting up to space.

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Mora was born in 1980 Jalisco, Mexico he is a contemporary artist and printmaker, now living in San Antonio, Tx. His work involves Fantasy elements, and Mexican culture. His work also tells stories about struggle, identity, and hope. Juan de Dios Mora studied at UTSA where he earned his BFA, and MFA. Later on he became a professor at UTSA, teaching young artists.

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22 in. x 15-¾ in. Paper size: 30 in. x 22 in

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Uses traditional printmaking technique named Linocut. This method gives his work bold and eye catching look.

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His works are filled with symbolism both Mexican and Latinx culture.

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Uses strong social messages, like immigration, poverty, politics, and cultural identity.

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Glyphs and symbols referencing ancient writing.

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The machine is mixed with ancient and modern tools.

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La nave espacial Maya reflects movement, transformation, and creativity. But it is also seen as a metaphor for immigration. This is something the artist relates as he grew up in the US/ Mexican border.

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PA ARRIBA PA ARRIBA ( GO UP GO UP)

ESTE MUNDO NUNCA SE ACABA ( THIS WORLD NEVER ENDS)

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We can see two main eye-catching symbols, the first being the car plate with the number 2012. The Mayans believed that a big catastrophic event would take place in this year; this became a really popular topic among the world. People started to believe that the world would end in 2012 or an apocalyptic destruction would happen. But it is also believed that it meant a new beginning. We can also see on the other side the NASA symbol, but Juan de Dios Mora changed it to RAZA.

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La Raza is a spanish word meaning the race, or the people. But people in the Latin American culture and US use it as a symbolic meaning, unity.

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Linocut is a relief printmaking technique. An image is cut out or gouged from a sheet of linoleum, which is softer to carve than wood. The surface is inked and later a paper is pressed on top to reveal the image.

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In 1930, Dr. Thomas Ybarra-Frausto came up with the term rasquachismo. It's a slang word for low class or bad taste; this new word created a new artistic context; it defined a cultural style between the US and the Mexican border.

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La nave espacial maya engages with the rasquache theme and idea, as it adopts the aesthetic and assemblage of found objects, transforming day-to-day items into a creative use. Seen with the fire extinguishers, the tire, hairdryers, robotic arms, and car handle.

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Minute 19:58 Juan de Dios Mora talks about La nave espacial Maya and how his spaceships mean escaping a broken world.

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Juan de Dios Mora worked on a series called Laters, which is a series of prints that describe the actions of Mexican Americans during the end of the days in a surreal humoros approach.

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With the amount of limited technology, the foreseen "end of the world." Shows us how Mexican American creativeness. Rely on their own culture, surroundings, and imagination to accomplish survival. The use of devices used as an escaping tool shows the creativity and warrior attitude the Mexican Americans have through the Mayan prophecy.

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The series of prints shows Mexican Americans are inventive and how they consider surrealistic ideas and become optimistic when it comes to the end.

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“Rasquachismo: 35 Years of a Chicano Sensibility.” McNay Art Museum, February 26, 2025. https://www.mcnayart.org/exhibition/rasquachismo/.

“Laters.” Juan de Dios Mora. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://juandediosmoraart.com/section/489079-Laters%20.html.

Linoleum cut | moma. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/linoleum-cut.

“Futura Nave Espacial Maya Del 2012 (Future Mayan Spaceship of the Year 2012).” Juan de Dios Mora. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://juandediosmoraart.com/artwork/4694684-Futura%20Nave%20Espacial%20Maya%20del%202012%20%20%28Future%20Mayan%20Spaceship%20of%20the%20Year%202012%29.html.

“Juan Mora: College of Liberal and Fine Arts.” UTSA. Accessed May 5, 2025. https://colfa.utsa.edu/faculty/profiles/mora-juan.html.