This photograph from Un niño en el Chicle positions the adult body in impossible relation to childhood objects, creating what Sierra describes as an "abject staged environment" that refuses comfortable categorization. The work speaks specifically to Colombian cultural contexts where machismo and traditional gender expectations shape boyhood with particular violence. Sierra creates visual cognitive dissonance that mirrors the psychological experience of queer childhood—existing in spaces designed for someone you're not, playing with objects meant to teach you who you should become. The bubblegum pink becomes cloying rather than cheerful, suggesting the sticky trap of nostalgia and the way childhood memories adhere to adult identity even when they don't fit. Sierra merges himself within this aesthetic creation, embodying both the remembered child and the remembering adult, neither fully present, both suspended in the photographic frame like the titular "niño en el chicle"—a child stuck in gum.
 
Jose Sierra work is deeply influenced by themes of self-representation and a homoerotic gaze. Through his unique aesthetic, he creates abject staged environments that challenge traditional norms. His art often merges personal identity with broader cultural commentary, as seen in his notable works like "Anti-Personnel Grids" and "Self-Portrait." Sierra's pieces are a bold fusion of urban art and intimate self-exploration, reflecting his dynamic engagement with contemporary culture.
 
Identity archaeology photography exploring machismo, gendered expectations and the sticky trap of nostalgic memory. Archival pigment print from Un niño en el Chicle. Available at The Art Design Project, Miami Beach.