Fall Festival Returns to the MFAH November 5
Returning for a secondyear, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston invitesvisitors to celebrate the unveiling of six newtemporary sculptures, inspired by the Mexican folkart tradition of alebrijes at its Dream with Alebrijesfestival on Sunday, November 5, from 1 to 5p.m.
This year, the MFAH partnered with ALMAAHH(Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and VisualArts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County)for the selection and commission of six Houstonbased Latinx artists to create the sculptures for the festival: Laura De León, Michele Matamoros, Hugo
Guests at the 2022 “Dream with Alebrijes” Festival
Perez, Rebo, Krystle Holnes, and Ignacio Sanchez. Each will create sculptures that are inspired by alebrijes, and also represent their own cultural heritage. Their work will be on view from the day of the festival through November 12, 2023.
Visitors will be greeted on the day of the festival by David Linares from Mexico City, whose grandfather, Pedro Linares, originated the alebrije concept with his papier-mâché fantastical creatures. Conducting workshops in Houston over the summer with the six artists, David Linares has conveyed the origins of this now-iconic art form and the preservation of its legacy through his family. “I am pleased to be a special guest and speak about this great artist who with his talent and passion has transcended frontiers worldwide,” said Linares. “People do not know much about him but that is why I am here, his grandson, to keep his legacy alive.”
Guests can also enjoy live music, dance performances, art making activities, and a new lotería game inspired by works in the MFAH collection. Film screenings will be provided by Houston Latino Film Festival. Both the Fall Festival and the Museum are open to the public with free Museum admission, thanks to the generous sponsorship of H-E-B.
In 2022, about 4,000 people attended the free festival. Each year, the festival celebrates the MFAH commitment to Latin American and Latino art and art of the Indigenous Americas.
About the Pieces
Krystle Holnes, inspired by the Yoruba, Panamanian, and Embera Uona traditions, has created a mermaid-tree fusion. Holnes celebrates Afro-centric beauty with vibrant indigenous fabric patterns, inviting a cultural journey for viewers Her piece will resonate with the spirit of the Reina Congo from the Islas de Colon, underlining her profound connection with Afro-Panamian roots. Like the Mexican alebrije sculptures, she embodies a playful wh
Laura de León based her alebrije-inspired work on the jaguar in Mesoamerican cultures. The Jaguar is considered a Nahual, or spirit companion that protects religious figures as they move through the earth and the spirit realm. The sculpture will become a collective collage altar.
Michelle Matamoros will create a “Maripache” inspired by the racoon, an animal renowned for its cleverness, playfulness and resourcefulness; the bumblebee, a messenger that brings the secrets of life and service; and the butterfly, symbolizing transformation and renewal.
Hugo Pérez, inspired by the story of his family’s rescued Chihuahua, hopes to bring attention to the homeless dog crisis in Houston with his piece. Pérez’s color palette will be inspired by the use of indigo in El Salvador.
Rebo, will take inspiration from the Mazatec legend that tells the story of how the opossum spread the knowledge of fire to humanity. The legend says fire fell from a star and an old woman kept it for herself. The opossum took fire from the old woman and carried the flame on its tail; resulting in their signature hairless tail. The large and bright sculpture will pay homage to the brave little creature and take inspiration from the maestros of the craft, both papier-mâché and wood carvings.
Ignacio Sanchez is inspired by his family’s travel to Oaxaca and their dedication to preserve Mexican arts and culture. Sanchez will create his family’s alebrije-inspired sculpture as a testament to their shared identity and the everlasting bond that unites them.
Location
The Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza
5101 Montrose Boulevard
The Cullen Sculpture Garden
Montrose Boulevard at Bissonnet Street
Admission
Museum admission is free for the day.
About the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Spanning 14 acres in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, the main campus comprises the Audrey Jones Beck Building, the Caroline Wiess Law Building, the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden and the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. Nearby, two house museums—Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, and Rienzi—present collections of American and European decorative arts. The MFAH is also home to the Glassell School of Art, with its Core Residency Program and Junior and Studio schools; and the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA), a leading research institute for 20th-century Latin American and Latino art. www.mfah.org