Eight 20-foot-tall sculptures of fantastical spirit animals, created by folk artists from Oaxaca, Mexico, were unveiled Thursday morning at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Downtown Riverside.
The Alebrijes and Nahuales exhibition will remain on display through early January 2027 at five locations across the city.
"Bring your kids, bring your neighbors and visit every single one of them around town," Riverside Art Museum Executive Director Vivian Zavataro said at the ceremony, where she told the crowd that no ticket is needed to see them.
Two of the sculptures are at The Cheech and three are at Riverside City College, according to Ward 2 Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Clarissa Cervantes, who hosted the event. Ward 6 Councilmember Luis Hernandez said the sculpture in his ward is an armadillo.
The colorful works depict hybrid creatures inspired by Mexican cultural traditions. Cervantes described them as guardian spirits and tied their arrival to Día de los Muertos, which Riverside celebrated last weekend.
"It's going to help to move people through our community to explore different parts of Riverside, and to me that's what's so special," Cervantes said.
Hernandez recalled learning as a child the story behind alebrijes, whose creator, according to folklore, was inspired to make the first ones during a fever dream.
"I guess that's what separates artists from the rest of us," Hernandez said, "because when I felt ill and had a fever dream, I was inspired to run to the hospital as quickly as possible."
The exhibition debuted in France in 2019 and has since traveled to public spaces across the United States, according to the city. Cervantes said earlier stops included Fresno, Salinas and Houston, and that bringing the exhibition to Riverside took about two months of work. She credited a friend with starting the conversation after learning of an opening in the tour schedule.
The local presentation is a collaboration among The Cheech, the Riverside Art Museum, Riverside City College, the office of State Senator Sabrina Cervantes and Councilmembers Cervantes and Hernandez. Ward 1 Councilmember Philip Falcone, whose ward includes The Cheech, credited his two colleagues with helping fund the project.
Riverside City College President Eric Bishop said hosting three of the sculptures will draw students out into the city and bring residents to campus.
"I want us to be part of the community and not apart from the community," Bishop said.
Senator Cervantes presented a certificate from the California State Senate to The Cheech. The Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, whose president and CEO Nick Adcock emceed the ceremony, also presented a certificate, as did Aleah Medina on behalf of Riverside County Supervisor Jose Medina.
Along with the sculptures, organizers plan educational tours, cultural exchange programs, sculpture and creative writing workshops and artist talks during the exhibition's run, according to a city news release.
"This exhibition celebrates the rich cultural traditions and creativity of Mexico while bringing our community together," Cervantes said in a statement.
Where to see them: The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, 3581 Mission Inn Ave.; Riverside Art Museum, 3425 Mission Inn Ave.; Riverside City College, 4801 Magnolia Ave.; Bordwell Park, 2008 Martin Luther King Blvd.; and Arlanza Community Center, 7950 Philbin Ave.
More information: fantasticanimalsfrommexico.com
