[exhibit] Alebrijes en San Jose: Aug 12 – Sept 28
22 feet of pure imagination are on display at Plaza de César Chávez Park. See map below!
Alebrijes are vibrant, fantastical, and intricately designed Mexican folk art sculptures, typically made of wood or paper-mâché.
Dates & location:
On display from August 12 through September 28-2025 at Plaza de César Chávez in San José.
Videos:
About exhibit:
San Jose Jazz—alongside a host of community partners—presents a spectacular exhibition of monumental, magical alebrijes as part of a major U.S. tour spotlighting Oaxaca’s rich artistic traditions and cultural heritage.
Eight towering sculptures, each standing between 20 and 22 feet tall, transform Plaza de César Chávez Park into a vibrant outdoor gallery.
In April 2025, eight new sculptures began a United States tour, activating public spaces nationwide.
The works celebrate Mexico’s cultural heritage while honoring Zapotec artistic traditions and the craftsmanship of contemporary artisans from Oaxaca to Mexico City. LED light sequences programmed into each sculpture animate the forms after dark, adapting this ancient practice for the twenty-first century.
Did you know?
Ten monumental alebrije sculptures debuted at the Lille3000 Festival in France in 2019, inspired by Mexico City’s annual Desfile de Alebrijes parade, where approximately 200 papier-mâché alebrijes process through the streets each October. Following the festival’s eight-month run, the works traveled to the Parc de la Villette in Paris.
Photos: [credit Gary Singh]
Map:
Spanish:
22 pies de pura imaginación te esperan en Plaza de César Chávez. ¿No puedes esperar más? Acompañanos en Summer Fest, del 8 al 10 de agosto. No te pierdas estos alebrijes monumentales, en exhibición del 12 de agosto al 28 de septiembre.
San Jose Jazz—junto a varios socios comunitarios—presenta una espectacular exhibición de alebrijes monumentales como parte de una importante gira por Estados Unidos que destaca las ricas tradiciones artísticas y el patrimonio cultural de Oaxaca. Ocho esculturas gigantes, que miden entre 20 y 22 pies de altura, transforman la Plaza de César Chávez en una galería al aire libre. La exhibición es gratuita y estará abierta al público del 12 de agosto al 28 de septiembre en el centro de San José.
El Armadillo llega a San José gracias al generoso apoyo de PG&E.
Background:
Alebrijes are vibrant, fantastical, and intricately designed Mexican folk art sculptures, typically made of wood or paper-mâché.
They depict imaginary creatures, often a composite of different animal parts, and are known for their bold colors and detailed patterns. While often mistaken as a long-standing tradition, they actually originated in the 1930s with the artist Pedro Linares.
Creation:
Alebrijes are either carved from copal wood, a wood native to Mexico, or crafted from papier-mâché.
Appearance:
They feature a unique blend of animal features, such as wings, horns, legs, and tails, often with exaggerated or contorted body parts.
Colors and Patterns:
The vibrant and intricate painting is a hallmark of alebrijes, using a variety of patterns like stripes, dots, geometric shapes, flowers, and flames.
Origin:
Pedro Linares, a papier-mâché artist, is credited with creating the first alebrijes after experiencing fever-induced visions of fantastical creatures.
Cultural Significance:
Alebrijes have become a recognized symbol of Mexican folk art and are often associated with dreams, imagination, and the connection between the living and the spirit world.
Regional Variations:
While Linares’s work is rooted in Mexico City, the art form has found strong roots in Oaxaca, particularly in towns like San Martin Tilcajete and San Antonio Arrazola.
Symbolism:
Though the term “alebrije” doesn’t have a direct translation, the figures are seen as symbols of transformation, spiritual protection, and a deep connection to Mexican culture and mythology.
