Artwork: Spirit Animals
In addition to the 18 monumental alebrijes, 30 smaller spirit animal alebrijes are scattered throughout Cantigny Park and inside the First Division Museum. Find them using the Alebrijes Map or explore the park on your own!
Asmej
Artist: Alberto Moreno Fernández
Location: Keyhole Garden
- Meaning/Description: Toucan in Mayan
- Animal: Toucan
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
Blue
Artist: Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano
Location: Visitors Center
- Animal: Racoon (Spanish: Mapache)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 week
- People involved: Only Miriam
Braulio
Artist: Alejandro Camacho Barrera
Location: South Scallop Garden
- Meaning/Description: Alejandro’s wife, Miriam, named this piece.
- Animal: Moose (Spanish: Alce)
- Materials: 70% metal structure, 25% craft & recycled paper, polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Alejandro
Chakts’iits’i
Artist: Roberto Carlos Martínez Tecillo
Location: South Octagon Garden
- Meaning/Description: Cardinal in Mayan
- Animal: Cardinal
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wrapping plastic, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Roberto
Chamak
Artist: Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano
Location: Perennial Border
- Meaning/Description: Fox in Mayan
- Animal: Fox (Spanish: Zorro)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Miriam
Chopilin
Artist: Roberto Carlos Martínez Tecillo
Location: Fountain Garden
- Meaning/Description: Cricket in Nahuatl
- Animal: Cricket (Spanish: Chapulín)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wrapping plastic, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Seven
Cornelio
Artist: Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortíz
Location: Outside First Division Museum
- Meaning/Description: “Serious” rabbit. This piece is significant because Arturo’s apprentice helped him create it. Named after “Cornelio Reyna”, a popular Mexican singer.
- Animals: Rabbit (Spanish: Conejo)
- Materials: Plastic bottles, iron, beer and soda cans, carton, craft paper, fabric, resin, acrylic paint. 90% of the materials used in Arturo’s pieces are recycled.
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Three – Arturo, his nephew, and his apprentice.
Don Caparazón Corazón
Artist: Alberto Moreno Fernández
Location: Lower Display Garden
- Meaning/Description: “Mister Heart Shell”. Inspired by Mr. Krabs from Sponge Bob animated series and with kids in mind.
- Animal: Crab
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
El Kokoro
Artist: Alberto Moreno Fernández
Location: Idea Garden
- Meaning/Description: A play on words. Kokoro sounds a lot like crocodile.
- Animal: Crocodile
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
El Pez Beta de Beto
Artist: Alberto Moreno Fernández
Location: Arrival Pavilion
- Meaning/Description: Beto’s Beta Fish (The diminutive for Alberto is Beto). This piece honors the very first monumental alebrije that Alberto did ten years ago.
- Animal: Fish
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- People involved: Only Alberto
Escoba
Artist: Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes
Location: Upper Display Garden
- Meaning/Description: Spanish for “broom”. The spines used on this piece are made out of the sticks that rustic brooms are made of in Mexico.
- Animal: Porcupine
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wood sticks, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Edgar
Gigi
Artist: Alejandro Camacho Barrera
Location: North Scallop Garden
- Meaning/Description: Alejandro’s son, Santiago, named him Gigi. It doesn’t have a special meaning, just a kid naming an object.
- Animal: Bear (Spanish: Oso)
- Materials: 70% metal structure, 25% craft & recycled paper, polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Alejandro
Guajito
Artist: Alejandro Camacho Barrera
Location: North Scallop Garden
- Meaning/Description: Diminutive for Guajolote (Spanish for turkey). Named by Alejandro and Miriam referencing a series of alebrijes the couple worked on in the past using quaje pods as the main material to create them.
- Animal: Turkey
- Materials: 70% metal structure, 25% craft & recycled paper, polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Alejandro
Huexolotl
Artist: Roberto Carlos Martínez Tecillo
Location: Outside First Division Museum
- Meaning/Description: Rooster in Mayan
- Animal: Rooster (Spanish: Gallo)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wrapping plastic, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Roberto
Jacinto
Artist: Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano
Location: Inside First Division Museum
- “El Lobo Gallardo”
- Animal: Wolf (Spanish: Lobo)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 week
- People involved: Only Miriam
Juki
Artist: Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano
Location: Visitors Center
- Totonacan for Deer
- Animal: Deer (Spanish: Venado)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 week
- People involved: Only Miriam
Kira
Artist: Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes
Location: Lower Display Garden
- Named after Edgar’s grandchildren’s dog, which they describe as “big and fat:, like a walrus.
- Animal: Walrus
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wood sticks, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Edgar
Kutz
Artist: Roberto Carlos Martínez Tecillo
Location: Arrival Pavilion
- Meaning/Description: Peacock in Mayan
- Animal: Peacock
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wrapping plastic, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Seven
La Abuela
Artist: Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes
Location: Visitors Center
- Meaning/Description: La Abuela is Spanish for “The Grandmother”, a symbol of wisdom. In Mexican culture, grandparents are respected and honored as the wisest members of the family. “Everyone follows their abuela’s advice without questioning. We do this because we know they have lived so many years (as do turtles).” This particular piece represents all abuelas, but in particular Edgar’s grandma, who always advised him and even sang to him.
- Animal: Turtle
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wood sticks, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Edgar
Lucero de la Noche
Artist: Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes
Location: Inside First Division Museum
- Meaning/Description: Spanish for “Night star”. When you look up in the sky at night, you can see owls like stars in the distance.
- Animal: Owl
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wood sticks, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Edgar
Ma’ax
Artist: Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano
Location: Idea Garden
- Mayan for Spider Monkey
- Animal: Monkey (Spanish: Mono Araña) + Jaguar
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Miriam
Moonaraña
Artist: Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortíz
Location: Octagon Garden
- Meaning/Description: A colorful piece dedicated to the moon and Arturo’s thoughts.
- Animals: Spider (Spanish: Araña)
- Materials: Plastic bottles, iron, beer and soda cans, carton, craft paper, fabric, resin, acrylic paint. 90% of the materials used in Arturo’s pieces are recycled.
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Three – Arturo, his nephew, and his apprentice.
Mosquiwi
Artist: Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortíz
Location: Logarium
- Meaning/Description: A play on words of mosquito and kiwi, because of the colors that make up this piece.
- Animal: Mosquito
- Materials: Plastic bottles, iron, beer and soda cans, carton, craft paper, fabric, resin, acrylic paint. 90% of the materials used in Arturo’s pieces are recycled.
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Three – Arturo, his nephew, and his apprentice.
Pepe
Artist: Edgar Israel Camargo Reyes
Location: Lower Display Garden
- Named after Edgar’s grandchildren’s grandpa, Jose.
- Animal: Hippopotamus
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wood sticks, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Edgar
Ringo
Artist: Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortíz
Location: Green Garden
- Meaning/Description: Stylized flamingo that stands on one leg.
- Animal:Flamingo
- Materials: Plastic bottles, iron, beer and soda cans, carton, craft paper, fabric, resin, acrylic paint. 90% of the materials used in Arturo’s pieces are recycled.
- Number of pieces: 2
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Three – Arturo, his nephew, and his apprentice.
Tlatecuhtli
Artist: Roberto Carlos Martínez Tecillo
Location: Upper Display Garden
- Meaning/Description: Scorpion in Mayan
- Animal: Scorpion (Spanish: Alacrán)
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, wrapping plastic, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Seven
Toto
Artist: Alejandro Camacho Barrera
Location: Inside First Division Museum
- Meaning/Description: Alejandro’s daughter, Azul, named this piece
- Animal: Ostrich (Spanish: Avestruz)
- Materials: 70% metal structure, 25% craft & recycled paper, polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Alejandro
Totolt
Artist: Alberto Moreno Fernández
Location: Logarium
- Meaning/Description: Bird in Nahuatl
- Animal: Woodpecker
- Materials: Metal structure, chicken wire, craft & recycled paper, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
Tuti
Artist: Alejandro Camacho Barrera
Location: Visitors Center
- Meaning/Description: Inspired by the Totonacan culture. Alejandro’s daughter called some seeds she found on the ground “Tuti”. As they worked on this piece, Alejandro believed this name was perfect for this Alebrije.
- Animal: Duck (Spanish: Pato)
- Materials: 70% metal structure, 25% craft & recycled paper, polyurethane foam, acrylic paint, polyurethane finish
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Only Alejandro
Zambo
Artist: Emanuel Arturo Zarate Ortíz
Location: Idea Garden
- Meaning/Description: Happy beetle with a jaguar and insect form. “Zambo” refers to the mix of black and Amerindian origin.
- Animals: Beetle (Spanish: Escarabajo) + Jaguar
- Materials: Plastic bottles, iron, beer and soda cans, carton, craft paper, fabric, resin, acrylic paint. 90% of the materials used in Arturo’s pieces are recycled.
- Number of pieces: 1
- Time spent: About 1 month
- People involved: Three – Arturo, his nephew, and his apprentice.