Alebrije

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An alebrije (IPA: [aleˡβɾixe]) is a now traditional Mexican handicraft representing a fantastic animal-like creature.

1 Origin
2 How they are made
3 Other
4 External links

[edit] Origin

Although now traditional, alebrijes were invented in the 1930s by Pedro Linares, of Michoacán, Mexico, who claimed dreaming of similar creatures when he fell ill at age 30. While unconscious in bed, he dreamt of a place, a different and strange place. Suddenly, rocks, clouds and animals turned into something strange, unknown animals. He saw a donkey with butterfly wings, a rooster with bull horns, a lion with eagle head, and all of them were shouting just one word, the word was "Alebrijes", every animal were shouting louder and louder: "Alebrijes, Alebrijes, Alebrijes!". The sound was terrible. After that, he woke up.

When Linares finally managed to get out of bed, he began to remember his dream. He wanted everybody to know the animals from his hallucinations, so he took a piece of paper and molded and painted those figures as he saw them on his dreams.

His artwork immediately became highly appreciated nationally and internationally.

Pedro Linares worked from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. everyday until the day he died -- January 26, 1992, at age 86.

Now, Miguel Linares, Paula García, and Ricardo Linares go on with the Linares tradition: the Alebrijes.

[edit] How they are made

The process of making an Alebrije is quite simple:

An armature is made from reed or wire in the shape of the final body. To build up certain areas newspaper can be taped on when dry before adding the glued layers. A homemade paste is produced using flour heated up in boiling water. Sheets of plain brown paper or newspaper are added in layers to cover the frame until it is firm. This may take some time as some of these creatures are extremely large. The figure then has to dry thoroughly.