Alebrije: "Bellena Giardiniera"
By Marcela Ruppli-Juin 
Technique: Cartoneria (similar to Paper-Mâché / Cartapesta).
Size: 25x45x37 cm 
 
"Alebrijes are a 100 year-old Mexican artisan craft. They depict fantasy creatures that combine features of several elements: water, wind, earth and fire. They are made of paper and wire; and are generally brightly colored. Marcela prefers their natural paper color, although not always.
 
Alebrijes are made with the Cartoneria technique, a Mexican artisan craft inherited from Spain and was originally used to make dolls for girls who could not afford porcelain. The craft was an adaptation to the traditional Papier-Mache, in that it uses a thick craft paper. 

Alebrijes are laborious, but always a fun project to undertake. Leaves a lot of freedom to the imagination.” MRJ
 
This piece is a winged and horned (with Lavender) whale  
 
Available at our Gallery in Locarno or here.
 
Shipping cost within Switzerland: CHF 30.-