WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — They are creatures that take elements of various animals and imaginative ideas.
Alebrijes (pronounced: ah-leh-bree-hez), are brightly colored Mexican folk-art sculptures of fantastical and mythical creatures. They are usually highlighted during Day of the Dead parades, especially in Mexico City.
While Day of the Dead has passed, one West Valley City family points out that this art form’s origins have nothing to do with Day of the Dead traditions.
“Originally, they were smaller creatures that were sold as folk art and were very popular among Mexicans,” Noemi Hernandez said.
According to Hernandez, thanks to movies like Disney’s "Coco," people around the world now recognize this art form as spirit animals that guide the dearly departed into the afterlife.
The origins of Alebrijes
The origin of the Alebrijes can be traced to Pedro Linares, Hernandez said. Linares was an artist who lived in Mexico City in the 1930s. The idea of the art form came to Linares in 1936 when he was very ill and then became unconscious. While in a state of unconsciousness, he began to hallucinate and see visions of strange animals and creatures.
“The name came to him as Alebrijes,” Hernandez said.
For Hernandez and her daughters Frida and Zoe Moses, making Alebrijes is more than just an art form, it has become a family tradition and way to share their imaginations.
“You'll notice people will mix wings with the face of a lion with the tentacles of an octopus with all kinds of things,” said Friday Moses. “So it really gives people a lot of freedom to kind of create their own idea of a colorful monster that's very fun.”
Hernandez and her daughters have made dozens of Alebrijes. They even have a permanent display of their creations at Salt Lake City’s downtown Public Library, a commission the family received over ten years ago.
“Art forms are such a wonderful tool, whether they're used in schools or just whether families utilize them,” Frida said. “ It's allowing us to delve into a world that is much more dreamlike, much more fantasy, and really bring that creation to life.”
How to make Alebrijes?
Materials needed: wire, newspaper, paper, glue, paper mache glue paste, tape, paint, plastic, cardboard, unicel, colored paper, tooth sticks, little pieces of wood,
- Sketch out a design of your ideas. Combine various animals in one if you like
- Pick out patterns and colors for your fantastical creature
- Using wire sculpt it into the shape that you want,
- Add newspaper to the body of the wire skeleton. Use tape to hold down the newspaper
- Add a wing or other elements to the creature to give it body
- Cut newspaper or tissue
- Dip the newspaper or tissue into paper mache paste or glue
- Once fully covered, dry and smoothed out, start painting your Alebrije
- Add any final details
