MALA
Mala Rodriguez Art Toy
Genesis
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I created this piece inspired by La Mala Rodríguez, as a tribute of the way her work have crossed different moments of my life. Her music has been a constant presence in the background for years.
When I decided to sculpt her, she was showing a more sensual and empowered side of herself publicly. What drew me wasn’t the sexual tone but the confidence behind it. I admire the way she was reclaiming space, body and attitude.
Reference still from an interview with La Mala Rodríguez.
Process
I wanted the figure to feel sensual rather than sexual, with curves and presence but always within my stylised language. Technically it was demanding: I made the feet very small and wearing heels, which means the entire figure balances on two minimal points. That constrast between fragility and stability is something I enjoy exploring, as if the character is holding its own weight from within.
The look was built from different references. I didn’t want to replicate a single image but capture an overall attitude.
For the gesture, I chose an extended arm with a middle finger. It came from what I perceived in that moment of her career: a clear, unapologetic stance toward the world around her. The “fuck you” felt more symbolic than literal, a way to frame the empowerment I was trying to portray. In the other hand I added a small gun, just as a playful nod to the toughness often present in her imagery.
Outcome
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The final figure sits somewhere between attitude, elegance and defiance. It pushed me technically in terms of balance and structure, and it allowed me to explore a more sensual direction within my work without crossing into something that didn’t feel like me.
Once the piece was finished, I sent it to her via her management. It remains one of the pieces where the attitude of the character carries most of the weight, something that aligns well with what inspired it in the first place.