Dr. Lakra

This book gathers the splendid work of Mexican artist Dr. Lakra, who super imposes mystical, ancient or funerary symbolism-gang tattoos, bones and skulls, Aztec warrior heads, spider webs, serpents and demons-onto vintage advertisements, girlie pinups, Japanese prints, baby dolls, cast skulls and the like, attaining an effect that resembles a Dia de los Muertos altar slyly erected in place of a kitchen table in the home-furnishings section of a Mexico City department store. 'In one way or another, the noncivilized human, the nonrefined, the primitive, is always been repressed, in a way that's almost criminal. 'Dr. Lakra, who also works as a tattoo artist, has said. 'I think that through these themes you can define the essence of culture. 'This lavishly illustrated volume contains 120 color images of Lakra's work, plus a contribution from renowned Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco.