Alejandro Camacho Barrera

Xochimilco, Mexico City

Instagram @camachobarreraalejandro

Facebook:alejandro.camachobarrera

facebook: La LULA Juguetes con Tradición

Artist Bio: Youtube

Toy Maker, Artisan, Husband, and Father. A masterful and wonderful soul.

From a young age, Alejandro aspired to attend a fine arts institute but was never able to. That didn’t stop him from following his passion. He began his artistic expression by crafting traditional toys and eventually creating his first alebrije with the collaboration of his wife, Miriam. His alebrije creations start off with a conceptual drawing that he recreates until a final form is achieved. He likes his creatures to feel magical and real. Alejandro’s favorite Mexican artists are, Francisco Toledo, 20th Century’s most influential painter and Alexander Calder. Alexander Calder’s wonderful and magical world is an inspiration to Alejandro and his craft.

 Alejandro is proud to be from Xochimilco. He emphasized the importance of where he lives and the influence it has had on him. He is full of respect and admiration for those in his community and the crafter’s guild. Through his craft, Alejandro has gained national and global recognition with one of his creations being featured in France.

Today, he is excited to meet lots of new people and visit different places in Chicago while he restores his alebrije creations that made their debut last year at Cantigny Park as part of an exhibition coordinated by The Mexican Cultural Center of DuPage. You can meet and greet Alejandro and his wife, Miriam at NRPM practicing the Cartoneria paper mache craft to bring back to life several of their original pieces.

Come watch Alejandro in action as he restores a few of his alebrije creatures and enjoy some of the works featured at Cantigny Park, including spirit animals.

Fun facts about Alejandro:

• Won 1st place with his wife, Miriam with their piece “ La Patria es Primero”

• Alejandro is a lover of the arts, music and dancing

• In 2019 one of his Alebrije creations traveled to France to be a part of the El Dorado 3000 Event

  
  

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR MAKING THE CARTONERIAS EXHIBITION POSSIBLE:
THE MEXICAN CULTURAL CENTER DUPAGE, FOR CURATING, COLLABORATING AND COORDINATING THE EXHIBITION & THE ROBERT R. MCCORMICK FOUNDATION’S CANTIGNY PARK, WHEATON, IL FOR THEIR VISION AND INITIATING THE EXHIBITION.