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why did pedro linares design the alebrijes

by Josianne Ankunding Jr. Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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In 1945, as Linares tells the story, he became very sick and drifted into a fever dream. There he encountered fantastical creatures who shouted in unison a nonsensical phrase “Alebrijes!” Upon his recovery, he set out to represent these mythical beings in sculpture.

Full Answer

Who is Pedro Linares alebrijes?

Pedro Linares Alebrijes Pedro Linares: Alebrijes Pedro Linares Lopez was a Mexican artist in the 1930s who specialized in paper mache figurines. He started with making figurines for Diego River and Frida Khalo

What did Pedro Linares do for art?

Pedro Linares started as a skilled maker of carton Judas figures and figurines for Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and many other artists from the Academia de San Carlos. The art form of alebrijes was created by Pedro Linares after he became ill at 30 years old.

What are alebrijes in Mexican art?

Alebrijes (Spanish pronunciation: [aleˈβɾixes]) are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical (fantasy/mythical) creatures. The first alebrijes, along with use of the term, originated with Pedro Linares. In the 1930s, Linares fell very ill and while he was in bed, unconscious, Linares dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest.

Where did alebrije come from?

Alebrije makers and artists popped up all over Mexico, taking inspiration from Pedro Linares' work. These figures are prized in Mexico and countries around the world. Diego Rivera stated that no one else could have fashioned the strange figures he requested.

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What inspired the idea of alebrijes?

The origin of the Alebrijes can be traced to Pedro Linares, an artist who lived in Mexico City in the 1930s. Linares said that in 1936 he was very ill and then became unconscious. While in a state of unconsciousness, he began to hallucinate and see visions of a forest with strange animals.

What inspired Pedro Linares?

But it wasn't until Linares fell ill in 1936, at age 30, that his style became something more. The fantastical, otherworldly animals he came to sculpt were inspired by fever dreams during a bout with illness. “I saw them in a dream,” he told The Los Angeles Times in an interview in 1992 .

What is the meaning behind alebrijes?

Alebrijes are whimsical carvings depicting animals, people, objects, and imaginary creatures painted with intense colors and intricate patterns. Although these distinctive cultural artifacts are often assumed to represent a long established, tradition of Mexican folk art, they only began to appear in the 1940s.

What happened to the creator of alebrijes that inspired him?

According to Linares, the inspiration for creating alebrijes came to him in a dream in 1945 while he was ill. North Carolina's Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University explains: "He became very ill and while in an unconscious state Linares dreamed of these incredible, scary creatures.

How did Pedro create alebrijes?

Pedro Linares gave alebrijes their name and inspired many others around the country to start creating their own alebrijes. Linares' alebrijes were made by mixing multiple animal body parts, such as using a snake body, rooster's beak, bat wings, lizard legs, bull horns, etc., having as a result a unique creature.

Who created the first alebrijes?

Pedro LinaresPedro Linares (1906-1992), a renowned indigenous Mexican artist, first created vividly colorful papier mâché sculptures called alebrijes.

Are alebrijes evil?

While the story is a myth, it is retold over and over throughout Mexico. And, while Linares is credited with creating the alebrijes we see today, his work most likely evolved from the country's traditional papier-mache figures that have been representing evil or the devil in Mexico for centuries.

When were alebrijes invented?

1930sThe first alebrijes were created by Pedro Linares in the 1930s. The craftsman, who was from Mexico City, became severely ill at the age of 30. Lacking access to medical care, he lay down on his bed and lost consciousness. In his feverish dreams, Linares saw rocks, trees, and birds that turned into strange creatures.

What do alebrijes have to do with the Day of the Dead?

Alebrijes sculptures are meant to guide spirits on their journey to the afterlife. Alebrijes are traditionally a fusion of several different animals, and Angeles and his team chose animals specifically for what they represent in Mexican culture. The first piece has an eagle head, coyote ears, and iguana body.

When did Pedro Linares invent alebrijes?

1936The "Alebrije" were created by Linares when he was 30 years old at 1936, allegedly after he suffered high fever and unconsciousness caused by peritonitis.

Who makes alebrijes today?

Today Linares descendants continue with the family business making the now iconic alebrije figurines, judas and skeletons in La Merced in Mexico City while many papier mache artists craft these fierce creatures around the country.

What was Linares cause of death?

Pedro Linares Death Pedro Linares López passed away unfortunately on January 25, 1992. An article from Los Angeles times indicates the possible cause of his death being gastric ulcer having suffered from it over the years prior to his death.

When did Pedro Linares invent alebrijes?

1936The "Alebrije" were created by Linares when he was 30 years old at 1936, allegedly after he suffered high fever and unconsciousness caused by peritonitis.

What two famous artists were patrons of Linares?

This brought his work to the attention of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, who began commissioning more alebrijes. Rivera stated that no one else could have fashioned the strange figures he requested; work done by Linares for Rivera is now displayed at the Anahuacalli Museum in Mexico City.

How many kids did Pedro Linares have?

In addition to Miguel and Ricardo, Linares had shared his Mexico City studio with his other two sons, Enrique and Felipe, and grandsons Leonardo and David.

What is the name of the American artist that helped paper mache gain popularity in America and Mexico?

Pedro Linares Lopez (1906-1992, Mexican) is famous for his paper-mâché animal and mythical figures called alebrijes. Born in Mexico City, he created piñatas as well as other papier mâché figurines to make a living.

What is Alebrijes art?

Alebrijes refers to different varieties of crafts, although Pedro Linares family has a lot of control over this name. The family continues exporting their craftwork to galleries and showing the world Mexican folk art. However, with the new emerging styles of Alebrijes from different artisans and artists, this craft has formed part of the folk art repertoire of Mexico.

Where did the Alebrijes come from?

Alebrijes originated in 1936 from Mexico, and the first papercraft called Alebrijes attribute to Pedro Linares, a Mexican artist. Pedro Linares specializes in making carnival masks, 'Judas' figures, and pinatas, and he used to sell them in La Merced and other markets. Linare work as a Papier-mâché artist was excellent, that Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo collected his creations, before even he created the first Alebrijes.

Who Does The Carving?

Woodcarving was initially a solitary activity, and only one person did all the aspects, especially a male. However, in the 1980s, when the sales started to hike, family members began sharing the work.

What type of wood do Alebrijes use?

Almost all Oaxaca Alebrijes carvers use wood from genus Bursera (Family Burseraceae), preferably species B. glabrifolia (copalillo or copal). Copal trees are typically from dry tropical forests within Oaxaca and its neighborhood.

What tools do carvers use?

Carving involves using non-mechanical hand tools like chisels, knives, and machetes. The only sophisticated tool the carvers can need in this process is a chain saw for cutting off branches and leveling the bases for the proposed figures. The role of the machete is to hack the basic shapes of the creatures while the smaller knives achieve the final shapes. Details like wings, tails, and ears are crafted from separate pieces from the main figure.

Why do carvers use aniline paint?

The acrylics withstand constant cleanings, and they also resist fading. However, some carvers still use aniline paints because they have a rustic look that customers want. Either way, painting involves two layers: a superimposed multicolored design and a solid undercoat.

When did Pedro Linares die?

In 1990, Linares received Mexico's National Arts and Sciences Award, and two weeks later, he died. Pedro Linares' work inspired many Alebrije artists, and his descendants still carry on with this tradition.

How did Alebrijes come about?

His own alebrijes originated from a dream, which depicted his death and rebirth in a mountainous setting inhabited by these creatures.

Who made the Alebrijes?

Among them was Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, a wood sculptor who took the concept of alebrijes from Linares and began producing wooden "Oaxacan alebrijes". Besides the material, Oaxacan alebrijes differ in being more realistic representations of animals and incorporating ideas of the nahual.

What is the documentary about Linares?

Linares gained national and international attention following the 1975 documentary Linares: Artesano de Cartón from Judith Bronowski. Part of a documentary series on Mexican folk craft, it resulted in traveling workshops from the films' subjects.

What did Linares dream about?

He wanted his family and others to know about the animals he dreamt of by taking a piece of paper and molding the figurines from his memory and then painting them as he saw them in his dream.

What is the Spanish name for Alebrijes?

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Linares and the second or maternal family name is López. Pedro Linares López (29 June 1906 – 26 January 1992) was a Mexican artist born in Mexico City known for his papier-mâché figurines named alebrijes .

What is the award for Linares?

In 1990, Linares was awarded the National Prize for Arts and Sciences ( Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes) in the Popular Arts and Traditions category, the highest decoration to artisans granted by the federal government of Mexico.

Who made Judas figures?

Pedro Linares began his career as a maker of the effigies known as Judas figures, traditionally made of carton during the Catholic Easter season in Mexico, and by making figurines for Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and other artists from the Academia de San Carlos School of Fine Arts in Mexico City. The mythical figures known as "alebrijes" were created by Linares when he was 30, allegedly after he caught an illness. His own alebrijes originated from a dream, which depicted his death and rebirth in a mountainous setting inhabited by these creatures.

What does Alebrijes depict?

Alebrijes can depict fantastical creatures, animals, humans, skeletons, etc., but for this specific Doodle I wanted to mainly focus on Pedro Linares’ work.”. Linares told the Los Angeles Times in 1991, “I saw them in a dream. They were very ugly and terrifying and they were coming toward me.

What do Alebrijes have?

His alebrijes tend to display open mouths, showing the creature’s pointy teeth and the tongue pointing outward, they usually have wings, claws or hooves and have very detailed patterns and colors. ”. Here’s what you need to know about Pedro Linares López: 1. Linares Was Born on June 29, 1906, in Mexico City, Mexico, & His Parents Were Also Artists.

What did Linares dream about?

Google writes in its blog post about Linares, “In 1945, as Linares tells the story, he became very sick and drifted into a fever dream. There he encountered fantastical creatures who shouted in unison a nonsensical phrase ‘Alebrijes!’ Upon his recovery, he set out to represent these mythical beings in sculpture. The jarring sculptures initially met little success, until over time, Linares refined his alebrijes into the colorfully patterned combinations of reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals recognized today in today’s Doodle artwork.”

When did Pedro Linares die?

Linares died in 1992 and his family have helped keep his work and artistic style alive in the years since. According to Google’s Doodle blog, “Today’s Doodle celebrates the 115th birthday of a Mexican artist who turned his dreams into reality, Pedro Linares López. His peculiar yet playful animal sculptures known as alebrijes are beloved worldwide ...

When did Bronowski open his workshop?

According to Magia Mexica, Bronowski opened a workshop for Linares and his family in the 1980s after the popularity of her documentary. The website writes, “Oaxacan artisans are more familiarized with wood carvings (more specific Copal trees), that’s why alebrijes now are mostly known and made with this material than paperboard ones.”

What does Polk mean by "the ability of the artist to conjure things that move out of the mind"?

Polk added, “The ability of the artist to conjure things that move out of the mind, to present the fantastic. To challenge folks. To make sense out of it and revel in the creativity. The ability to fashion the fantastic. These creatures break those boundaries.”

Who gave the Alebrije their name?

Working on this alebrije made me admire even more the beautiful work of all the cartoneros in Mexico.”. Barrera added, “Pedro Linares gave alebrijes their name and inspired many others around the country to start creating their own alebrijes.

Who designed the Alebrijes?

The Alebrijes displayed on Google Doodle for Pedro was designed by Emily Barrera. Talking about creating the Mexican traditional art, the doodler told in an interview, “I was delighted to create a whimsical alebrije for Pedro Linares’ Doodle.

How old was Alebrijes when he met Pedro?

Alebrijes came into being with Pedro when he was only 30 years old. The art form traces its roots back to one of Pedro’s dreams. The vision changed his life forever and went on to redefine the art form during his course as an artist.

Where is Pedro Linares Lopez's art?

He came from a family of artists, who mainly worked with sculptures. The work done by him is placed for display at the Anahuacalli Museum in Mexico City.

What did Pedro see in his dream?

He is said to have seen “donkey with butterfly wings, a rooster with bull horns, a lion with an eagle head” and all of whom according to the artist were shouting one word Älebrijes”. After recovering from his illness, Pedro went on to recreate the creatures from his dream in Cartonia.

When did Pedro de los Alebrijes die?

The renowned artists passed away at the age of 85 in 1992. To date, his family continues to produce Alebrijes, an art form which became synonymous with Pedro. It has also found place in workshops conducted across Mexico.

What does "albrijes explored" mean?

Meaning of Alebrijes explored! Alebrijes is a term used to describe whimsical sculptures representing animals, objects, humans and imaginary creatures that are believed to be “spiritual guides” in afterlife. The sculptures carry varied colors and patterns.

Who are the Alebrije artisans?

The three towns most closely associated with Alebrije production in Oaxaca have produced a number of notable artisans such as Manuel Jiménez, Jacobo Angeles, Martin San Diego, Julia Fuentes and Miguel San Diego. Pedro Linares was originally from México City (DF), born there June 29, 1906, and he never moved out of México City.

What are the Alebrijes?

Alebrijes (Spanish pronunciation: [aleˈβɾixes]) are brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical (fantasy/mythical) creatures. The first alebrijes, along with use of the term, originated with Pedro Linares. In the 1930s, Linares fell very ill and while he was in bed, unconscious, Linares dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest. There, he saw trees, animals, rocks, clouds that suddenly turned into something strange, some kind of animals, but, unknown animals. He saw a donkey with butterfly wings, a rooster with bull horns, a lion with an eagle head, and all of them were shouting one word, " Alebrijes ". Upon recovery, he began recreating the creatures he saw in cardboard and papier-mâché and called them Alebrijes.

What did Linares dream about?

In the 1930s, Linares fell very ill and while he was in bed, unconscious, Linares dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest. There, he saw trees, animals, rocks, clouds that suddenly turned into something strange, some kind of animals, but, unknown animals.

When was Pedro Linares born?

Pedro Linares was originally from México City (DF), born there June 29, 1906, and he never moved out of México City. He died January 25, 1992.

Who invented paper mache to wood carving?

The paper mache-to-wood carving adaptation was pioneered by Arrazola native Manuel Jiménez. This version of the craft has since spread to a number of other towns, most notably San Martín Tilcajete and La Unión Tejalapan, and has become a major source of income for the area, especially for Tilcajete.

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Who Was Pedro Linares López

Birth and Artistic Life

Pedro Linares began his career as a maker of the effigies known as Judas figures, traditionally made of carton during the Catholic Easter season in Mexico, and by making figurines for Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and other artists from the Academia de San Carlos School of Fine Arts in Mexico City. The "Alebrije" were created by Linares when he was 30 years old at 1936, allegedly after he suffered high fever and unconsciousness caused by peritonitis. The Alebrijes originated from fev…

The Mexican Psyche and Its Culture

Before The Alebrijes

1.Pedro Linares, the father of alebrijes - Fahrenheit Magazine

Url:https://fahrenheitmagazine.com/en/modern-art/plastics/Pedro-Linares-the-father-of-alebrijes

27 hours ago  · Alebrijes were first made in 1936 in Mexico City by Pedro Linares Lopez who specialized in making carnival masks, pinatas and Judas figures from cartonera, an old paper-made craft that is often confused with paper-mache. Pedro used to sell his artwork in Mexican markets like the one in Merced. Over time, many artisans and craftsmen created alebrijes …

2.Alebrijes by Pedro Linares- The Heart of Mexican Folk Art

Url:https://mezcalforlife.com/blogs/blog/alebrijes-the-heart-of-mexican-folk-art

25 hours ago It turns out that while his loved ones kept vigil over him, this craftsman dreamed of hybrid animals that surrounded him. One thing you should know is that in this dream he had, Pedro Linares, assures that his creatures emitted an unintelligible sound that he interpreted as alebrije.

3.Pedro Linares - Wikipedia

Url:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Linares

29 hours ago  · Alebrijes originated in 1936 from Mexico, and the first papercraft called Alebrijes attribute to Pedro Linares, a Mexican artist. Pedro Linares specialized in making carnival masks, "Judas" figures, and pinatas, and he used to sell them in La Merced and other markets. Linares work as a Papier-mâché artist was excellent. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo collected his …

4.Pedro Linares: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

Url:https://heavy.com/news/pedro-linares-lopez/

27 hours ago  · 1. Linares Was Born on June 29, 1906, in Mexico City, Mexico, & His Parents Were Also Artists. Pedro Linares was born June 29, 1906, in Mexico City, Mexico. His father was also an artist and he ...

5.What does Alebrijes mean? Google doodle honors Pedro …

Url:https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/06/29/alebrijes-meaning/

17 hours ago  · Alebrijes came into being with Pedro when he was only 30 years old. The art form traces its roots back to one of Pedro’s dreams. The vision changed his …

6.Alebrije - A brief History - Mayan Copal

Url:https://mayancopal.com/blogs/news/alebrije-a-brief-history

6 hours ago The first alebrijes, along with use of the term, originated with Pedro Linares. In the 1930s, Linares fell very ill and while he was in bed, unconscious, Linares dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest. There, he saw trees, animals, rocks, clouds that suddenly turned into something strange, some kind of animals, but, unknown animals.

7.Pedro Linares Alebrijes - Fontana

Url:https://www.fontana.org/DocumentCenter/View/32494/Pedro-Linares-Alebrijes

27 hours ago Alebrijes are mythical creatures. It is said that Pedro dreamt of dying and then being reborn in a land filled with these creatures. He came across a man and asked for help escaping this unknown land. Story sound familiar? Sounds a lot like Disney Pixars COCO. Anywho, when Pedro finally recovered from his illness he began to

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