Chilango vigor

The alebrijes are a great example of chilango vigor.

There is a powerful imagination behind these works. The colors, the shapes … Scandalous but harmonious. Excessive, overloaded and at the same time clear. They do not dazzle you even if they fill you with light. A monstrous harmony that we mexicans like.

Being Mexican is really, really being Baroque. For sample a meal is enough. And see how the mexican food is changing right now and right here in Mexico City. New desserts are being invented. As if we had few! But we chilangos like that. Just like that we want to be: excessive. Exaggerated. Garish. Scandalous. Sparkling. A pumpkin manteconcha someone?

New York has its annual parade in which he celebrates the works of his TVimagination. At a very old party, on Thanksgiving, the New Yorkers turned it into a party of their modern imagination.

We the chilangos, in a successful action of the administration of Miguel Ángel Mancera (to everyone who is his) we now have our own parade. That caught on very quickly. From one year to another. Until the Mexican television stations that are distinguished by their clumsiness, prudishness, sensationalism and opportunism, they saw the value. The first Day of the Dead Parade is only two years old. And last 2017 when he was born only Canal Once broadcast it live. It was a huge success. The zombie march has many more years and has never been of that size.

Alebrijes are an chilango invention.

Its creator, Pedro Linares, around forty, became seriously ill . In his trance, he dreamed the alebrijes. Thanks to his location in Mexico City, his dream could grow. In the decade of the sixties participate with a carboard work in the Olympics. Already with that prestige he presents his alebrije dream.

Little to little the alebrijes were turning on. Like insects in a garden. They are there. You do not see them. Sometimes you listen to them, or you think you hear them. Or you see them, sideway. Turn and discover that they look at you from their extraterrestrial eyes. Like dreams.

It is simply ridiculous and silly to say that Mexican traditions are in danger.

The alebrijes are the evident proof of our energy. They are a tradition invented by the generation of the grandparents of the people of 40–50, or by the generation of the great-grandparents of the people of 30–20 years old. That’s how close it is. That’s how young he is.

What happens is that we believe that traditions go backwards. Quite the opposite: traditions go forward.