Beasts that care for human DDreams

Aims:

1- Knowing what an alebrije is: origins, implementation process, materials, as well as cultural, economic and ecological impact on the area.

2- Assessing popular creation in the same way we assess the art in Art Galleries.

3- Developing creativity through the development of fantastic animals without making preliminary sketches. Working on the spot with the dictates of the material and the artist's imagination.

4-Understanding the creative process in three dimensions.

5- Understanding how visual textures complement the three-dimensional design.

6- Promoting the use of ICTs to search for visual information and facilitate the development of the exercise.

7-Motivating and encouraging students to create their own alebrije .

Subject: Arts and Crafts

Preparation:

1- Ask students about what they know about alebrijes . Make questions like:

• Have you ever seen an alebrije ?

• What do you know about alebrijes ? • Do you know where alebrijes are from? • Do you think it was hard for someone to make the first alebrij e? • What visual elements would you find in an alebrij e?

• Is a familiar name to you? What do you know about him?

• When did Pedro Linares create his first alebrij e? • Do you remember what had happened to Pedro when he created his first alebrije? • Further research: • What is ….? • What do you know about …? / Can you tell me something about…? • Can you explain the terms below in your own words?  ……  ………  ………….

• Have you thought about …?

2. See examples of alebrijes below or click:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUs0Y5yKpno&feature=related

3. Ask your students to read the following text:

Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical creatures. The first alebrijes , originated with Pedro Linares . In 1936, when he was 30 years old, Linares was ill, he had fever and hallucinated. In his nightmares, he was in a forest with rocks and clouds. Many of them became wild, unnaturally coloured creatures with wings, horns, tails, fierce teeth and bulgy eyes. When he saw the creatures, he heard many voices which shouted the strange word “alebrije.” After he recovered, he began to create the creatures with papier-mâché and cardboard. A gallery owner in saw his work. Later, the artists Diego Rivera and were impressed too. Linares was born June 29th, 1906 in México City and he lived there all his life until he died January 25th, 1992.

The valley area already had a tradition of carving animals and other types of figures out of wood. Linares adapted his designs to the local tradition and the local material: a type of wood called copal . The craft was so successful that the native copal almost disappeared. They have tried to solve the problem but it is not as easy as it looks.

4. To be sure they have understood the text,…

… ask them to answer true or false into the violet rectangle.

A) Is it true or false ? Write the answer in the violet rectangle following the example below.

Pedro created an alebrije when he was ill, had fever and hallucinated. Pedro Linares heard many voices that shouted the strange word alebrije.

True

Linares’ designs were adapted to the carving of a local wood called hazel. The Oaxaca’s tradition of carving animal started after Linares’ dream.

After he recovered, he began to create the creatures he saw using steel and Linares was originally from México City cardboard. (DF) but when he became famous he

was travelling all over the world.

The brightly coloured Mexican folk art are sculptures of fantastical creatures and often have wings, horns, tails, fierce teeth

His work caught the attention of a and bulgy eyes . gallery owner in Cuernavaca and later, the artists Siqueiros y and Rufino Tamayo .

… ask them to answer the terms below in their own words…(Key words).

B) Can you explain the terms below in your own words?

- Sculptures of fantastic creatures

- Craft

- Cardboard and papier maché

- Carving process

- Copal wood

- Oaxaca (which in nahuatl language means “at the top of the gourd”)

5. To make sure they have been shown several models of alebrijes , ask them to copy and paste five images by different artists:

Copy and paste five images of alebrijes by five different artists. Do not forget to write the title of the sculpture and the name of the author.

6. Draw a colour line between the image and the word that corresponds.

Bulgy eyes

Wings

Fierce teeth

Horns

7. Match with a colour line the name of the artist with the paint that corresponds.

Siqueiros

Diego Rivera

Rufino Tamayo

Frida Kahlo

7. To ensure they are aware of the visual elements (Dots, lines, planes, textures, colours, etc….) on alebrijes ….

By using dots, lines, colours and planes, try to make different visual textures into the rectangles below and chose the one you like the most to create your own alebrije.

8. And now, why don’t you try your own alebrije ?

For further information:

Watch these videos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikfHONm9Nwk

Nahualt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF4Yf9XyVkM&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDYc8pXzyDI&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzenSGD8co0&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6r3HoQW8zY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1ckhkEBmpc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBpCpsiNFY4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYCBaR8ZZl4&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ttJU_kTgI&feature=related

Today's extra question/exercise:

Discuss with your classmate sitting next to you the three main reasons why you like or dislike the artworks shown below. Write down your three main arguments at the end of the sheet.

1. First argument:

2. Second argument:

3. Third argument: