Gallery: BOOM! A Political Statement i...

Mexico is one of the largest producers of cacao in the world, cultivating this ancient currency for over three millennia. But while it’s the birthplace of chocolate, any production of this lucrative product domestically remains quite scarce. Designed by Héctor Galván, founder of Mexico City-based design studio Omlette, BOOM! is a tasty bit of artillery-shaped political commentary that aims to educate Mexican locals on the economic potential that lies in producing chocolate as purely, organically and domestically as once before.

Despite possessing a rich history and a stronghold on cacao exports, the country still finds itself importing a considerable amount of their chocolate confections to its own financial detriment. So why is something that truly altered the way of life abroad now imported at such a loss to its inventors? Omlette accredits this phenomenon to past colonialism in which Mexico found itself passing off its most profitable natural resources to other countries. Today, while free from extra-governmental reign, these habits are far from removed and continue to perpetuate the country’s underdevelopment and exploitation.

Omlette’s choice of a military aesthetic for their chocolate molds stems from the project’s fundamental act of confronting this resulting economic structure. BOOM!’s underlying concept asserts that Mexico is ultimately in charge of its destiny, but it needs a catalyst for change. As one of Omlette’s designers Sean Dugan states, “A symbolic violent act is required to wake up everyone on both sides of trade – to the unsustainable status quo – hence the explosive devices.”

To date, BOOM!’s prototypes and first run have been made with restaurant-grade chocolate purchased from a local producer and altered to fit a recipe tailored in-house. As production picks up more speed, Omlette hopes to link up with a local farm that produces organic cacao.

+ Omlette