The exhibition by the Bolivian photographer Marisol Mendez investigates two archetypes, dismantling them from within and examining the superstructures that define them. On one hand by questioning the rhetorical, phallocentric, and colonial representation of women in Bolivia, her homeland, Mendez intertwines Andean folklore and Catholic iconography to reveal how the complexity of the feminine dimension is often reduced to the binary opposition between the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. On the other hand, by deconstructing dominant narratives of masculinity, the photographer highlights the challenges men face in reconciling social expectations of toughness and performativity with their own vulnerability and desire for connection. In a global context where cultural models, social structures, and inequalities continue to shape the interactions and opportunities of both men and women, Mendez’s gaze opens a space for reflection on the complexity of contemporary South America, where the patriarchal system is deeply rooted in the legacy of European colonialism and ethnocentrism, as well as a broader, more universal perspective on how gender stereotypes condition identity across all latitudes.