Introduction –
One of the best places in Mexico which has a colourful art history is the Alebrijes of Mexico. Another amazing thing that you will know about the Alebrijes is that they are known as mystical creatures that have been transformed over decades into folk art sculptures in Mexico. Also, there are no two sculptures that will be the same; there is distinction, and Alebrijes are made by hand. Let me explain Alebrijes clearly: Alebrijes can be a snake with wings, a cat with wings, a snake with legs, a lion with the head of a giraffe, and vice versa, and there can be any such creatures made that are known as Alebrijes. You can trace Alebrijes back to Pedro Linares, from whom its origin came; he was an artist who stayed in Mexico in the 1930s.
Before and After the Revolution –
Also, you should know that Alebrijes are fanciful cravings that depict objects, people, animals, and imaginary creatures in nature, painted with deep colours and in a complex (intricate) pattern. Though, these different cultural artifacts are most of the time assumed to show a long established, tradition of the folk art which is Mexican. It was only in the 1940s that they began to appear. After the revolution in Mexico, the politicians and the intellectuals began to re-establish the national identity, which would make the population united after 10 years of civil war. They also rejected the European artistic ideals that dominated Mexico before the revolution. Soon, Mexicans began to recognise their own arts and crafts and their value.
About the Wood Carver Manuel Jimenez:
Mexicans also sponsored different kinds of exhibitions of crafts and arts from different parts of Mexico as a portion of the new Mexican artistic In the State of Oaxaca, you will find accomplished wood carvers who fashion masks and other utilitarian objects. One such popular woodcarver was Manuel Jiménez of the town of Arrazola. In the 1940s, Manuel got the chance to capitalise on the demand for local crafts. Soon he began to carve animals and figurines and began to sell in the street markets. While waiting for the mid-1960s, Manuel began maintaining a monopoly on Alebrije carving in his village. Plus, the craft makers encouraged many other men in the villages to carve alebrijes.
The Business of Alebrijes by Martin Santiago
Then, in 1967, Martin Santiago, who belonged to the village of La Union Tejalapan, signed a contract with one of the patrons of Manuel Jimenez, i.e., Enrique de La Lanza, to create Alebrijes. Santiago also took efforts in teaching the craft of Alebrijes to his brothers and developed a fruitful family business of Alebrijes. Plus, in 1968, just after one year, the production of Alebrijes spread to the community of San Martin Tilcajete. So, by that time, the Alebrijes had become popular among several tourists as an original artifact, regardless of the fact that they were truly commodities of recent origin. After that, the director of the National Tourist Council in Mexico learned of Isidoro Cruz’s work in San Martin Tilcajete and made arrangements for his alebrijes to be viewed in an explanation in LA and Mexico City.
Conclusion –
Much of the fruitfulness regarding the sale of Alebrijes can be attributed to the enhanced infrastructure and also to the good communication within Mexico. Ease of communication through mobile phone, telephone, and the web enhanced both the capacity of the marketers and the crafters to get the materials as well as complete and accept the orders. Further, the alebrijes trade is dependent on the demand for original craft by the upper and middle classes in the USA, Canada, and Europe. Tourists prefer signed Alebrijes over regular Alebrijes, so they are very popular.
