The National Football League (NFL) has partnered for the first time with a Chicana and Indigenous artist to create artwork for Super Bowl LVII.
Artist Lucinda “La Morena” Hinojos painted the Super Bowl theme art with imagery representing Arizona’s culture and history. Super Bowl LVII will occur at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, February 12, 2023.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Hinojos, is an artist with roots in Mexico and the Pascua Yaqui, Chiricahua Apache, White Mountain Apache, and Pima (Akimel O’Odham) Tribes. As the marquee artist of Super Bowl LVII, her artwork will be exhibited throughout Phoenix and included in a series of design elements for the big game, including Super Bowl tickets and advertising.
“I create art to hopefully provide an element of healing, unity, and real human connection, so with this Super Bowl piece, I hope people from all over the world can have a dialogue about what this painting means to them … and that’s what’s beautiful to me,” Hinojos said in a statement.
“I’ve always thought that the Super Bowl ticket is the centerpiece of this hallmark event, and for me, as the first brown Indigenous woman to design the ticket’s artwork, it is amazing and something I’m very proud of.”
At the center of Hinojos’ artwork is the Vince Lombardi Trophy that every Super Bowl-winning team receives. The backdrop of the piece includes the White Tank Mountains, which can be seen from the stadium. The painting also features a Fancy Shawl dancer, an Azteca dancer, cacti, a hummingbird, an iguana, fireworks, and a football field.
“Lucinda’s insight and direct, personal connection to the amazing and diverse history in Arizona made her the perfect partner for this project,” Marissa Solis, NFL SVP of Global Brand and Consumer Marketing, said in a statement. “She is a gifted artist, a football mom, and a woman who authentically represents her Chicana heritage, and we are so thrilled to use the Super Bowl as a platform to showcase her beautiful artwork and, by extension, spotlight the local communities integral to Arizona.”