CHICAGO — WGN’s Marcella Raymond visits an outdoor Art Exhibit ‘Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World”‘ that opened in June.
The Mexican Cultural Center DuPage in West Chicago commissioned six artists from Mexico city to create these works of art. Nearly 50 sculptures reside in Cantigny Park.
The artist who started this form of art in 1936 was sick with a high fever and near death, which lead him to have a strange, but inspiring “fever dream”.
Overtime, the style of It takes about four months to build each sculpture from wife, paper mache and a lot of lacquer.
Admission to the exhibit will be included with Cantigny’s regular parking fee, currently $5 per car ($10 on summer weekends).
The have been on display in Wheaton’s Cantigny Park since June and will continue to be there until October.
After the exhibit closes, the sculptures will be donated to local schools, museums and others may be sold. Companies or organizations that sponsored a specific alebrije will get to keep their sculptures.