Two alebrijes of culture Oaxaca Zapotec They arrived this Friday at Rockefeller Center from New York, along with two huge catrinas, tasked with protecting the thousands of Mexican immigrants in the United States.
The inauguration of the alebrijes marked the beginning of the Mexico Week as part of “Oaxaca Month in the US”, which will also coincide with the popular celebration of Day of the Dead, which commemorate the catrinas, one of the most representative icons of Mexican culture.
The impressive sculptures of alebrijes, a jaguar and an eagle, protective animals of the Zapotec culture, were made by the workshop of the artisans Jacobo and María Ángeles and are the result of an alliance between the Rockefeller Center and the Oaxaca authorities.
“In the Zapotec culture we have twenty animals and we have the belief that they protect us, and there are three (symbols) of power that we wanted to bring for this special moment: the jaguar, which is the earthly animal, the eagle, which represents visual power, and the serpent, represented in the eagle’s tail (like a dragon) and that can live in three worlds “, said to Efe the sculptor Jacobo Ángeles.
He further said to Efe that it is “a great pride” that the sculptures from his workshop are being shown in New York and he affirmed that exhibiting the art of Mexico in other countries is something that must be strengthened to reactivate the economy of both parties.
The alebrijes are known as guardians of dreams, but the Los Angeles workshop wanted these two guardians to come to New York to protect immigrants, inspired by the story of Francisco, Jacobo’s grandfather, who emigrated to New York many years ago to work in construction and then return to his country.
“What we try to express with art is a pure manifestation of defending human dignity that we are all important and that we have to respect each other”Jacobo commented.
His wife, also an artisan, recalled that Francisco “alwaysre told us that he had come to work, he told us many things about New York “, and explained that the alebrijes, who will be present for a month, have needed the work of ten people.
She was also pleased by the exhibition because of what culture means to Mexicans “and above all that Oaxaca is a state full of so much energy, culture, colors and traditions.”
For his part, the Mexican ambassador to the US, Esteban Moctezuma Barragan He highlighted that Oaxaca is known internationally for its cultural work, diversity and the warmth of its people, and for being “one of the most colorful states” in the country.
Rockefeller Center will celebrate Mexico’s traditional Day of the Dead this Friday with an exhibition of sculptures by artisan Julio César Menchaca. (I)
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