Alebrijes

Filed in archive Latin Culture on July 10, 2008

© luis perez



Ever heard of an alebrije? They're folk art sculptures from Mexico, originally made from paper mache, although wooden ones have gotten popular.

Anyway, the guy that started making them, Pedro Linares, had a dream in which hesaw these creatures. They were making sounds he couldn't make out, except for the word alebrije.

He was a piñata maker. The first alebrijes were made in the same way.

Those traditional piñata-making methods make alebrijes feel like an old, traditional art form. But they are actually relatively new. Linares started making them in the 1930's.


© Esparta



Old or new, they look very folksy and cheerful, and they make interesting pieces.

And if your into crafts, they also make a fun project. The ingredients are pretty simple.