Fantastical Alebrijes

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

 

True to its name, Raspberry Island has been blooming all summer. Not with raspberries, exactly, but with colorful reds, oranges, blues, and more brought to life across a series of fantastical creatures. 

Since June, the island has been home to 16 larger-than-life papier-mâché alebrijes. These imaginative animals keep watch over the island, sunbathing on the grass, hanging from the pavilion, and gazing over the Mississippi River flowing alongside them.

Raspberry Island has also come to life with human visitors. People linger, deciphering the recognizable components of each creature, talking with the artists who created these alebrijes, and picnicking with family and friends. Visitors smile and wonder as they decide what’s what, imagine seeing an alebrije in the wild, or marvel at the artists’ creativity.

 

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

The outdoor public exhibit, Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island, is on view for two more weeks. Organized by the Minnesota Latino Museum, it’ll be up through October 26, and the creatures continue to evolve during their time along the Mississippi. 

Whether you’ve been earlier this summer or have yet to go, it’s a great way to enjoy the lingering light of summer, stretch your imagination, and learn about the fantastical past and present of alebrijes.

 

What are alebrijes?

Alebrijes are a Mexican folk art tradition created by Pedro Linares in 1936, inspired by a fever dream during a bout of serious illness. Linares saw strange creatures in a hallucination, walking through a jungle landscape and together chanting “Alebrijes!” 

When Linares recovered, he recreated these dream creatures, and this new word became their name. Since then, artists have continued to create alebrijes in several different media and using their own creativity to inspire their form and pattern.

 

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

The alebrijes on Raspberry Island were created by four individual artists: Alejandro Camacho Barrera, Alberto Moreno Fernández, Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes, and Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano. All four are based in Mexico City, but have traveled to Minnesota to assist in the restoration, re-imagining, and community engagement around the alebrijes.

 

“A century of waiting”

Keepers of the Island was organized by the MN Latino Museum. The organization is establishing a permanent location while hosting community engagements and public art throughout Minnesota. 

Aaron Johnson-Ortiz, the museum’s executive director, calls Keepers of the Island their most ambitious exhibit to date. He tallies more than 245,000 visitors to the island this summer, a level of engagement that he says demonstrates the need for a permanent Latino arts center in the Twin Cities.

“The biggest takeaway for me is how long people have been waiting for something like this,” he says. “It’s been over a century at this point of waiting for the work that we’re doing right now.”

 

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

The location on Raspberry Island, a part of Harriet Island Regional Park, is unique as a bridge between downtown Saint Paul and the West Side, which Johnson-Ortiz describes as home to the oldest Latino barrio in the state. “We work with communities across the state and in particular communities on the West Side of Saint Paul, who have been waiting for a Latino cultural center in Minnesota.”

There’s been a sense of joy on the island this summer, and a feeling of being able to sit with the alebrijes. People drive past them on bridges, bike or walk down to sit with them on the island. They’re visible both from downtown and the West Side Flats, and have brought a vibrant and steady presence to the river since their installation in early June. Although they came only recently, they’ve become a true part of the landscape over the past season. 

 

From Mexico City to Raspberry Island

The alebrijes had quite a journey to get to Raspberry Island and, although they traveled far, they were also adapted by the artists and community members to reflect their seasonal home. 

Johnson-Ortiz first saw the exhibit at the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage, in the western suburbs of Chicago. He was invited by the center’s director, a friend who co-founded the Mexican Cultural Arts Alliance with Johnson-Ortiz. Johnson-Ortiz describes being blown away by the exhibit. He immediately began working with the center and artists to bring the installation to Minnesota.

 

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

 

The alebrijes are made using cartonería, which roughly translates to papier-mâché. The key distinction is that, instead of being made with paper pulp, they’re made using thin strips of cardboard. 

“They require significant amounts of maintenance and upkeep, but every time they’re exhibited they’re unique,” says Johnson-Ortiz. “The alebrijes on Raspberry Island have, in some cases, been completely redone with new patterns, designs, and colors. They’re evolving, living pieces of art.”

Community engagement and collaboration

The need for ongoing care has created a natural opportunity to re-imagine and evolve the alebrijes in partnership with the community. 

This spring, Edgar Camargo and Alberto Moreno were in residence at the Anderson Center at Tower View in Red Wing. Xolo, a black, doglike figure, was completely repainted during its time there. Moreno worked with community members, including many young people, to completely recover and repaint the alebrije. He and Camargo gave a behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating their alebrijes, from sketch to maquette to large-scale installation.

More recently, artists Miriam Salgado and Alejandro Camacho visited Raspberry Island in July to completely recover and repaint Tochtli, a brightly-colored rabbit-like alebrije with a dragon’s tail. They incorporated site-specific colors and patterns: the North Star, arches to mirror the bridges that surround Raspberry Island. Johnson-Ortiz says they likely spent the most time talking with visitors to the island.

“People were able to talk with them and ask questions,” he says. “It was a restorative process, but also an educational process.”

 

Photo courtesy Larry Lucio Jr., for the Minnesota Latino Museum

Final weeks on Raspberry Island

Moreno will be back on Raspberry Island the week of October 13. His exact working hours are weather-dependent, says Johnson-Ortiz, who encourages visitors to stop by and visit with both Moreno and the alebrijes before the exhibit closes October 26. 

Moreno will likely be there everyday during daylight hours. 

Although inherently temporary visitors to the island, it’ll feel empty when the alebrijes move on. Their colors have been a highly visible part of the community this summer, and a source of joy for many visitors and passers-by. 

“I’ve met so many people on the island who think it’s a permanent installation,” says Johnson-Ortiz. “I think there’s going to be some sadness when it’s gone.”

 

 

He adds the Minnesota Latino Museum has a long-term vision of a sculpture park in the area. However, like plans for a permanent museum location, so much depends on funding. For now, he encourages community members to get out and spend some time with Keepers of the Island in the coming weeks. Admire the changes to the light, the colors along the river, and even to some of the alebrijes themselves. 

“There’s starting to be more reds and oranges in the foliage,” says Johnson-Ortiz. “I always feel that Minnesota falls are more electric in terms of the color. You’ll see very different color schemes on the pieces, as well as the surrounding natural environment.”

Despite their temporary nature—and the occasional glow-in-the-dark neon paint—the alebrijes have become a natural part of the environment on Raspberry Island. Meet them before they move on to their next home. ◼︎ 

Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island is on view at Raspberry Island through October 26. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Follow @mn.latino.museum for updates, and visit the Minnesota Latino Museum website for more information about this exhibit and future programming.