Mexico City Alebrije Parade
[1][2] The parade and contest is organized by the Museo de Arte Popular, in collaboration with the federal and city secretariats of culture, the authorities of the historic center of Mexico City, the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, the Associación de Amigos del MAP and the BBDO company.[1][3] Its purpose is a homage to Mexican handcrafts and folk art, especially cartonería (a kind of very hard paper mache) in order to restore value to it in modern society.[4][5] In the spring or early summer, the Museo de Art Popular puts out an open call for participants, inviting individual artists and artisans along with museums, galleries, hotels, restaurants, businesses and public and private institutions.[11] The musical event has had judges such as Silvia Navarrete González, Betty Luisa Zanolli Fabila and Gustavo Rivero Weber.[2][3] The reason that alebrijes were chosen for the event is that their wild shapes and colors create surprise for both Mexicans and foreigners, according to Museo de Arte Popular director Walther Boelsterly.[12][15] In 2010, the alebrijes included the visages of Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, José María Morelos y Pavón, Francisco Villa, Emiliano Zapata, Victoriano Huerta, Porfírio Díaz, Agustín de Iturbide and others.[10][20] The monumental alebrijes of the parade are based on those credited to artisan Pedro Linares, who began creating fantastic, chimera-like, brightly colored creatures after dreaming them while ill.They generally combine elements of real and fantastic animals as well as humans including faces, wings, horns, hoofs, multiple heads, tails and more.[1][3][5] Mexican sculptor Ricardo Linares has participated with creations such as a Chinese dragon with a snail’s head, eagle claws and octopus tentacles.[5] The names given to the creations are generally fanciful such as El malévolo (The Evil One), Señor Mariposa (Mr. Butterfly), “Por si las moscas” (For if the flies), “Jejete,” “Viaje alegre al Viento” (The Wind Travels Happy) and Dragón de la Esperanza (Dragon of Hope) as well as names from Nahuatl such as Tepitecac, Xolotl and Ehecatl.
Mexican handcrafts and folk artpapier-mâchécartoneríaalebrijeschimeraPedro Linareshistoric center of Mexico CityCarnivalMuseo de Arte PopularConsejo Nacional para la Cultura y las ArtesCONACULTAEl FARO de OrienteZocaloPaseo de la ReformaAngel de la Independencialucha libreCatrina figuresDay of the DeadJudas figuresHoly Saturdayindigenous language of MexicofanfareFelipe LinaresMexican War of IndependenceMexican RevolutionMiguel HidalgoIgnacio AllendeJosé María Morelos y PavónFrancisco VillaEmiliano ZapataVictoriano HuertaAgustín de IturbideSi Adelita se fuera con otroMasiosareInstituto Politécnico NacionalMexican ceramicsCeramics of JaliscoPottery of MetepecSoteno familyBarro negro potteryBlanco family (Oaxaca)Green glazed pottery of AtzompaMata Ortiz potteryTalavera potteryTree of LifeAmuzgo textilesBasketry of MexicoHuipilMexican rag dollPetateQuechquemitlRebozoTenango embroideryTextiles of MexicoTextiles of OaxacaLupita dollsMiss Lupita projectPiñataOcotlán de MorelosSan Bartolo CoyotepecSan Martín TilcajeteSan PablitoSanta Clara del CobrePunzo familySanta María AtzompaSanto Tomás JaliezaTemoayaTenancingo, State of MexicoTeotitlán del ValleTlalpujahuaTlaquepaqueTonalá, JaliscoAlfeñique fairCiudadela MarketFeria Maestros del ArteMuseo de la Laca and the Santo Domingo monasteryMuseo de Trajes RegionalesMuseo Estatal de Arte Popular de OaxacaMuseo Nacional de la MáscaraMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueMuseo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa PomarNational Fund for the Development of Arts and CraftsNational Museum of Mexican ArtNational Pyrotechnic FestivalPalm Sunday Handcraft MarketList of Mexican artisansChiapasGuanajuatoGuerreroHidalgoJaliscoMexico CityMichoacánOaxacaPueblaState of MexicoTlaxcalaAlebrijeAlfeñique in MexicoHuichol artMexican featherworkMexican handcrafted fireworksMexican ironwood carvingsMexican lacquerwareMexican mask-folk artMexican pointy bootsPiteadoPopotillo artSawdust carpetTraditional copper work in MexicoTraditional metal working in MexicoTraditional Mexican handcrafted toysVocholVotive paintings of MexicoMaría Teresa PomarMarta Turok