Mexican Artist - Tumblr Posts

"Free Palestine"

2023

(Artwork and caption made on the first week of the genocidal aggression on Gaza)

I oppose war and violence on general principle. Yet when the root of that violence lies in oppression, colonialism, and apartheid, then it isn't my place, nor anybody else's, to tell an oppressed people that they should not resist and fight back against their tyrants. 

Every single day my social media feed is filled with stories of Palestinian people being shot by Israeli soldiers; and if not that, then it is a kid being strip-searched, or beaten, or arrested without charge, or an elderly person being shoved to the ground; and if not that, then it is a town, or a market place, or a refugee camp, or a mosque being raided by the Israeli military, and the people inside being harassed and threatened by Israeli settlers. It is infuriating to me to see supposedly liberal/progressive people in the West suddenly care, to see them become outraged at the loss of Israeli civilians, however regrettable and tragic that may be, without having ever said a word about all the systemic, state-sponsored violence against Palestinians that preceded it, and then claim that those that do are being insensitive, or mean, or propagandized. 

I thought we had learned to recognize systems of oppression, no? That to take a neutral stance was to side with the oppressor? I now ask, who is the oppressor here? Who's the powerful country in this circumstance? Who has the nuclear arsenal, the top-grade weapons, control over most of the land and resources, and political and economic backing of the most powerful countries on Earth? I have the answer for you: it is not the Palestinians. 

*be advised: any zionist trolls, colonial apologists, right wing nutters, etc, will get their comments deleted and accounts blocked.

"The Ride of the Rohirrim"

2023

And straightaway all the horns in the host were lifted up in music, and the blowing of the horns of Rohan in that hour was like a storm upon the plain and a thunder in the mountains. 

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

Not much that I can say about this scene that hasn't been said already. One of the most powerful, enduring moments of hope not just in Lord of the Rings, but in the whole of cinema history, made all the more so by the fact that it's not coming from a magical, supernatural source, but from Men showing up for other Men. An epic, beautiful, cathartic scene.

I remember seeing the film for the first time, I was so immersed in this battle I had quite forgotten that help was on its way. The horns blew, and I didn't know what that meant; the silhouettes appeared in the horizon, and I still didn't know what was going on. Only when the iconic, beautiful Rohan soundtrack started to slowly roll in, I finally realized what was happening, and felt my heart swelling to twice its size. It still does to this day. 

"Massive"

2023

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Fun-loving Humpback whale. I had the great privilege and joy of seeing these animals in the wild almost a year ago, though unfortunately there was no jumping. 

"No Living Man"

2023

Out of the wreck rose the Black Rider, tall and threatening, towering above her. With a cry of hatred that stung the very ears like venom he let fall his mace. 

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien's stories are teaming with examples of heroic characters who, against all odds, manage to triumph against foes far greater than they are: you see it in Bard and Smaug, in Sam and Shelob, and also in Éowyn and the Witch-king. Her immense courage in facing down an enemy that is terror and despair personified cannot be overstated; and it was her bravery, her love and devotion for Théoden, her bond with Merry, and a wee bit of help from prophecy that carried the day.

I much prefer the timing of the fall of the Witch-king in the movies than in the books. In the novel, the Witch-king is destroyed shortly after the arrival of the Rohirrim, with a lot more battle left to fight. Here he is destroyed almost at battle's end, at the very same moment that Aragorn's reinforcements arrive to turn the tide. Despair is vanquished at the very same moment that hope is restored.

"Avatar State"

2023

Yip-yip

"I Can Carry You"

2023

...and so Sam struggled on as best he could, having no guidance but the will to climb as high as might be before his strength gave out and his will broke.

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

A scene that probably is a favorite for many; one that epitomizes more than any other the power of friendship; and in my opinion, Sam's most heroic moment.

It brings me back to the first film, when Saruman mocked Gandalf for thinking hobbits could ever contend with the will of Sauron. This scene proves that Gandalf was right, and Saruman wrong: in their own way, the willpower of hobbits IS strong enough to shake the foundations of evil itself.

"Krampus"

2023

Because paganism makes the holidays more fun.

"For Frodo"

2023

The Men of the West were trapped, and soon, all about the grey mounds where they stood, forces ten times and more than ten times their match would ring them in a sea of enemies. Sauron had taken the proffered bait in jaws of steel. 

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

There are two great, epic battle charges in Return of the King: the Ride of the Rohirrim is the first one, and this is the second. The Fellowship of the Ring, gathered with what little remains of their forces, making one last, defiant stand in what can only be described as the gates of Hell itself. Not for themselves, but for Frodo and his Quest at the heart of the Enemy's land. 

I have seen some book purists complain that Mount Doom and Barad-dûr should not be discernible from the Black Gate, but I for one love this change. It makes it more daunting to have the Dark Tower loom high above Aragorn and his army, with the Eye of Sauron staring right at them. Subsequently, it makes their charge right towards it all the more brave, and epic, and badass. 

"Resistance"

2023

It has been a maddening, miserable three months.

When last I posted about Palestine, the death toll in Gaza had just about leveled with the dead count in Israel. Some people may have called that justice; an eye for an eye, and all. Yet as I knew would happen, as any person with sense knew would happen, the state of Israel has dropped any pretense of seeking justice and gone full force on a savage, genocidal campaign. I can't put into words how demoralizing it has been to watch a tragedy of this scope unfold in real time on our screens; how infuriating to witness people and institutions that profess loving diversity and human rights back openly and shamelessly a fascist ethnostate. The world, and more concretely the western world, has utterly set aside the lessons of the War on Terror and slid back into a miasma of Islamophobic hysteria and lust for blood.

I've lost count of all the times that the state of Israel and their enablers have lied. Zionist discourse around this topic is rife with misinformation, unconfirmed rumors, and just plain, willful dishonesty. I take hope in knowing that more and more people, all over the world but especially so in the Global South, are less and less willing to believe the propaganda. Zionists wouldn't be as hysterical as they are if they didn't feel their wall of lies was crumbling. Nevertheless, here are some of the facts:

- Israel is an ethnocratic, settler-colonial state. This is not me saying it; the ideologues and pioneers of Zionism themselves described their project as colonial. From the very beginning, their stated aims have been control and subjugation, not coexistence. Only in later decades, with colonialism taking a bad connotation, did Israel rebrand itself as some sort of indigenous rights movement (an idea that is too absurd for words). But early Zionists were remarkably honest about who they were and what they wanted. The facts on the ground now, with the actions and rhetoric surrounding Gaza and with the encroachment of illegal settlements on the West Bank, all but confirm Israel's colonial aspirations.

If you're unconvinced, consider this: people in the Global South, people who know all too well what colonialism looks like, are far more likely to sympathize with Palestine than with Israel. And who supports Israel, then? Former and current colonial powers. Does it seem at all likely that countries like the United States and Britain would ever back indigenous national aspirations? I think not.

- Israel enforces a system of apartheid against Palestinians under their control. Again, this isn't me saying it; Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and even Israeli human rights organizations like B'tselem have confirmed this and published reports about it. Google and read them for yourselves, by all means.

And if you're still unconvinced, consider this: black people in South Africa, including Nelson Mandela himself, have always sympathized with Palestine, and have also drawn parallels between the apartheid they lived through and what Israel does. Do you really think you have any moral or intellectual authority to tell those people that they don't know what they're talking about? Because you don't.

- Under international law, an occupied people has the right to resist their occupiers. An occupying entity however does not have the right of self defense against the people it occupies. You can say that killing civilians is not legitimate resistance. That's fine. But then I expect you to apply that same principle to Israel and their indiscriminate bombing of Gaza. I also expect you to ponder wether Hamas targeting only military personnel would have made any difference in how you feel about the attacks. I know for a fact that even when only their soldiers are attacked, Israeli reprisals have always been savage, disproportionate, and deadly.

And if you're one of those (deluded) people who insists there's no occupation, I will say only this: when this started, Israeli officials stated loud and clear their intent to cut all electricity, fuel, food and water to the Gaza Strip, and then did just so. What kind of country has that amount of power over another? An occupier, that's who.

- Hamas was founded in 1987, and came to power in 2006 with 44.45% of voter support. That makes 36 years since its founding, and 17 years governing Gaza (note: Gaza. They do not govern the West Bank). Given these facts, you cannot possibly claim that the problems in the region start and end with Hamas, and you also cannot claim that Gazans collectively are to blame for their own destruction, what with half the population on the Strip being underage and all. If you insist on this, then I expect you to apply that same reasoning to Israelis. Netanyahu is the longest serving prime minister in his country's history, and has repeatedly been voted into power despite mounting evidence of corruption and war-mongering. Israelis are also required to serve in the military, and there isn't really a big movement to end it (those few that do refuse the draft are hella brave, by the way, and heroes in my book). Still, the majority of Israelis are, have been, or will be a part of their country's war machine at some point in their lives. I'd say that makes their society complicit, at least much more so than Palestinians are. Would you say that a people who consistently vote for the same war-mongers and that stand unconditionally with their military deserve to be blown to smithereens? I mean...that's your argument, dears, not mine.

I would also note that Netanyahu himself was caught on mic admitting to have propped up Hamas to thwart any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. So...make of that what you will. It isn't the first time a colonial power props up radical militants to undermine secular, more moderate groups.

- And while we're on the subject of reasonability and compromise: in their 2017 charter, Hamas states its willingness to compromise on a temporary two-state solution. In the past, they have suggested long-term truces in exchange of assurances. Hell, last month's temporary ceasefire shows that they are a party that can be reasoned and negotiated with. But compromise and negotiation are not in the interest of the Israeli State. Since the earliest beginnings of the Zionist movement, total control over the land of Palestine has been their ultimate goal. And that goal has often come at the expense not only of Palestinians, but of their own people as well, as recent events showcase perfectly.

I know many of you are only too willing to believe that Muslim militants have no motives other than hatred, and no tools other than wanton violence. But whatever they may be, whatever we may think of them, the truth is that Hamas has been the more flexible party. They have concrete political aims, some of which are not that unreasonable. If Israel and the West refuse outright to even consider any of their terms, then perhaps the world ought to reconsider who the rash, irrational party is in this scenario.

- On the subject of violence: that story of the forty beheaded babies was a ruse; as in, there's no evidence for it. None. But again, don't take my word for it! The IDF, the White House, mainstream media outlets and the Israeli press, all of which amplified and spread this rumor and none of which are particularly sympathetic to Palestinians, they all walked back on their claims. You might want to consider what made you so willing to believe this lie, and maybe why you continue to believe it even after the people who first told you about it have said it's not true. It isn't the first time the state of Israel has made wild claims with either insufficient or non-existent evidence to support them.

That's not all. Mounting evidence, published by the Israeli press no less, shows that at least some Israeli civilians were killed in the crossfire between the IDF and Hamas. Hell, there is also evidence, provided by survivors, that the IDF may have killed its own citizens deliberately in an effort to wipe out the Hamas militants that held them hostage. The Israeli government have also revised their casualty numbers from 1400 to less than 1200, and it wouldn't surprise me if that number were to get lower still.

Regardless of wether Hamas killed all those people or not, the truth is this: there are at least 21,822 people killed in Gaza. That's over eighteen times the total Israeli death count. 8,800 of those killed are children. That's more than two hundred times the number of fake beheaded babies. The death toll and displacement have reached historic proportions, surpassing even the Nakba of 1948. Yet by all accounts, no more Israeli civilians have been killed by Palestinian militants since the first days of the escalation, that is, unless any hostages in Gaza have been executed (though they have more likely been killed by the Israeli military itself, as has indeed been proven to be the case). It is Palestinians who are dying now, and who have been dying over these months, over this year, and over these decades. I don't want to see you shed crocodile tears over civilian deaths if the only time you bother to turn your attention to this conflict is when Israelis die. You have no business pointing fingers at me if you support Israel's colonial, genocidal enterprise. As for me, I know where I stand. I regret all civilian loss of life, but if I am made to choose between colonizer and colonized, between oppressor and oppressed, between the people who are busy making TikToks and the people who are busy dying, my choice will always be clear.  

Free Palestine 🇵🇸

"Sauron Defeated"

2023

Towers fell and mountains slid; walls crumbled and melted, crashing down; vast spires of smoke and spouting steams went billowing up, up, until they toppled like an overwhelming wave, and its wild crest curled and came foaming down upon the land. 

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

The realm of Sauron is ended!

The climax of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy may well be my favorite scene in the whole saga. And that is in part, with apologies to Professor Tolkien and the purists, because it is so much better done in the film than in the book.

The novel gives the impression that the destruction of the Ring happened by mere accident, with Gollum tripping and falling into the fiery chasm; further writings by Tolkien explain that it was actually divine intervention that destroyed it, which, narratively speaking, isn't much better. In the film however, the Ring effectively destroys itself. At the very moment when it looks like the Ring has won, having finally overpowered Frodo and with Sauron within moments of retrieving it, its power turns on itself: it inadvertently makes Frodo and Gollum fight over it (mirroring the very first scene of the film with Sméagol and Déagol), and they both fall off the cliff. And it doesn't stop there. For a few moments the Ring floats in the lava, as if enticing Frodo, hanging over the edge, to follow it in its ruin. Only at the very moment where Frodo reaches out and grabs hold of Sam does the Ring, its final act of malice foiled, melt into the lava.

What follows is the stunning, beautiful, cathartic collapse of Barad-dûr, and the end of Sauron's power in Middle-earth. And here too it's good that the geography is changed somewhat in the films, because our heroes at the Black Gate get to watch the Dark Tower fall with their own eyes. There's nothing quite like the sight of the mighty Dark Lord watching powerlessly as all his works crumble beneath him, even as he himself is reduced to oblivion.

All in all, it's a brilliantly paced, magnificently executed scene, and has become for me an encouraging and comforting reminder that all tyrants, all empires, do indeed fall.

"The Grey Havens"

2023

... the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", by J.R.R. Tolkien

My tribute to the Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy ends, fittingly, at the shores of the sea. The Grey Havens scene has become the epitome of bittersweet endings everywhere; it's breathtakingly sad, but also wholesome, tender, and comforting in its sadness. And it is elevated by one of the most beautiful yet underrated musical themes in the films, which is also melancholic but carrying within it a powerful sentiment of hope. And I don't know how, but Howard Shore made this tune sound like the sea, if that makes any sense.

This scene also notably contains one of my very favorite LotR quotes ever, uttered by none other than Gandalf himself: "I will not say 'do not weep', for not all tears are an evil."

"Motaz"

2024

My first artwork of the year is dedicated to the incredible Motaz Azaiza and to all the heroic Palestinian journalists of the Gaza Strip: to those who, like him, continue to report bravely, steadfastly, the horrific situation in their homeland; to those who have made the difficult but also brave decision to leave for safety; and to the all too many who have been unjustly killed in their line of work, murdered by the Israeli State in a cowardly attempt to cover up their crimes.

An unfair burden has been put in the shoulders of these journalists, a lot of whom are shockingly young and just fresh out of university. Not only do they have to struggle to survive during a veritable genocide of their people, but they have to do so whilst reporting on it, whilst serving as spokespersons of all the suffering and grief inflicted on themselves and their kin. Multinational media conglomerates with overwhelmingly more power and resources have consistently and actively refused to treat the Palestinian people with the transparency, truth, and dignity that they deserve. So it's been up to these brave men and women to do the job that others will not do, to arm themselves with their own cameras and their social media pages and their unparalleled courage to tell their own stories and their own realities, to use languages foreign to them so that the world might better understand and sympathize with their plight. I cannot overstate what an enormous, heroic effort that must be, and I am in complete awe and admiration of them; but I also feel sorry and ashamed that these folks, many with their whole lives in front of them, have so unjustly, so cruelly, been thrust into this position. Yet through it all they have never failed to carry themselves with the passion, the dignity, the strength, and the zest for life that I've come to learn so characterizes the Palestinian people, and for that one can't help but admire them even more.

"Smile"

2024

Gelada (Theropithecus gelada)

Geladas are among my favorite monkeys, but all that fur sure is a pain to draw.

"Sunglasses"

2024

"Afro"

2024

Lighting study that also served to try my hands at drawing big bushy hair.

"Vanishing Homeland"

2024

Palestine Mountain Gazelle (Gazella gazella)

A Palestine Mountain Gazelle surveys the ravages of colonialism on its habitat. 

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The myth that Israeli settlers are indigenous to the land of Palestine is absurd on many fronts, among them being their mistreatment of that same land they claim to belong to. For starters, the state of Israel is highly dependant on and contributing to the military industrial complex, one of the most oppressive and polluting entities on the planet. They're also famous (or rather, infamous) for uprooting and destroying native crops and trees and replacing them with invasive plants that not only require more water to tend, but that are also more susceptible to fires. In attempts to greenwash their occupation, they raze Palestinian villages and neighborhoods and build natural parks and reserves on top of them, thus continuing on with a centuries-old colonial practice that has been put to use on stolen lands everywhere. And just like the US-Mexico border wall on my side of the world, the equally racist Apartheid Wall on the West Bank divides up the landscape and severely impedes the free movement of both people and wildlife. The list goes on.

I guess the ecological impact of the current genocidal aggression on Gaza will not be fully apparent until the smoke clears. But already we do know that the first months of the bombing released more emissions than 20 climate vulnerable nations do in a year...so there's that. 

All this to say that for people that are so zealous of their supposed "rights" to the land, Israeli Zionists really do seem to go out of their way to hurt it...to carve it up...to destroy it. And that's what colonizers, anytime, everywhere, do. 

"Evening Moon"

2024

Found a picture on here with a nice mix of warm and cool color tones, and felt inspired to draw it.

"Nature's Spear"

2024

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

In the mood to draw rhinos. It's curious how in the two African species the horns sometimes grow ridiculously long.

The pose and perspective made this fellow challenging to draw and to shade, but it came out quite alright.

"Self-portrait"

2024

Figured I'm due for a self-portrait. Featuring a beautiful black and gold keffiyeh that I got at a pro-Palestine protest earlier this month.

"Morgul Lord"

2024

This way and that turned the dark head helmed and crowned with fear, sweeping the shadows with its unseen eyes.

-"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", by J.R.R. Tolkien

The evil, greenish, foreboding light of Minas Morgul really suits the Witch-king beautifully.

Done for Day 2 of Allan Whincup's Tolkien Art Challenge on Instagram.