Ey, Tití me preguntó … Why did you touch a historical artifact in a museum? On December 27, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico City issued a statement regarding Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny’s interaction with an artifact at an archaeological museum earlier this month.
According to INAH and fans, Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, shared photos of himself with his hands on a stela, a carved stone monument originating from Maya city-states in Mexico and Central America. The singer and rapper, slated to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February, reportedly removed an Instagram post depicting a hooded figure touching an unprotected stela at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.
“As it is public knowledge, physical contact with archaeological property is prohibited,” INAH noted in response to the incident. The museum indicated that its staff had advised Bad Bunny against touching the artifacts. “When the artist placed his hand on the stela, museum security reiterated that the pieces could not be touched,” the statement elaborated.
Bad Bunny concluded a series of eight sold-out performances in Mexico City on Sunday, promoting his latest album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. His concerts attracted an estimated 500,000 attendees to the GNP Seguros Stadium, amid ongoing right-wing criticism in the U.S. of the artist’s outspoken support for immigration rights.
INAH has yet to provide a response to Hyperallergic’s request for comment.
