> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://hyperallergic.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Vivid Offerings of Mexican Papier-Mâché - URL: https://hyperallergic.com/the-vivid-offerings-of-mexican-papier-mache/ - Published: 2023-02-20T21:02:00.000Z - Updated: 2025-11-24T15:05:25.000Z - Description: La Cartonería Mexicana is drawn from traditional masks, sculptures, toys, and piñatas. - Author: Rachel Harris-Huffman - Tags: Art, Mexican art, Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, Southwest, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-large, #Import 2025-11-24 09:29 (2023, 2024, part 1) SANTA FE, N. Mex. — As the growing popularity of designer colors like “greige” and its sad beige cousins suck the vibrancy out of our surroundings, the Museum of International Folk Art remains a bastion for color lovers. The Museum Hill institution holds eye-popping folk art from around the globe, and its newest exhibition, *La Cartonería Mexicana/The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste*, may be its most vivid offering to date. Primarily drawing from the museum’s permanent collection of over 200 pieces of *cartonería* (Mexican papier-mâché), the exhibition explodes across the Hispanic Heritage wing in paleta-like tones of mango, watermelon, and avocado. These hues are drawn from the traditional masks, sculptures, toys, and piñatas on display. Ruth D. Lechuga’s black-and-white photos from 1960s and '70s festivals, vendors, and makers around Mexico City add cultural and historical context. A central gallery includes photos and a video of the Linares family of artists at work and displays several of their traditional *alebrijes*, protective chimeras used in celebrations of Dia de los Muertos. *Alebrijes* were originally conceived by Pedro Linares López in 1936, and his family has made the brightly-painted creatures for generations. Guest curator Nora Dolan and co-curator and Museum of International Folk Art Director of Education Leslie Fagre worked with Mexico City-based cultural consultants Franz Meyer Museum Curator Marta Turok and author of *Mexican Cartoneria: Paper, Paste, and Fiesta* Leigh Thelmadatter to research and present the exhibition. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/01_photo-feb-07-2023-1-05-07-pm.jpg) Installation view of *La Cartonería Mexicana/The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste* (2023-24) at the Museum of Interantional Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/02_photo-feb-07-2023-12-11-07-pm.jpg) Installation view of *La Cartonería Mexicana/The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste* (2023-24) at the Museum of Interantional Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/12_photo-feb-07-2023-12-54-46-pm-1.jpg) Figures, tigre dancers (c. 1960), paper, paste, paint, celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/05_photo-feb-07-2023-12-24-34-pm.jpg) Installation view of *La Cartonería Mexicana/The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste* (2023-24) at the Museum of Interantional Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/06_photo-feb-07-2023-12-26-15-pm.jpg) Felipe Linares, Skeleton Dandy in suit seated with his dog (1992), papier-mache, wood, paint, Mexico City, Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/08_photo-feb-07-2023-12-26-46-pm.jpg) Ricardo Linares Garcia, Calavera Man Selling Judas Figures (2010), paper, glue, wood (cane), gesso, paint, Mexico City, México ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/10_photo-jan-29-2023-2-19-43-pm.jpg) Paula Garcia Linares, Skeleton Women Making Sugar Skulls Sculpture (2007), paper, paste, wood, paint, foil, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/11_photo-feb-07-2023-12-56-32-pm.jpg) Mauricio Hernández Colmenero, Transformational Mask (2004), paper, paste, acrylic paint Guanajuato, Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/13_photo-jan-29-2023-2-22-42-pm.jpg) Felipe Linares, Skeleton Figure (1994), paper, paste, paint, México City, Mexico ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2023/02/14_pinatas.jpg) Installation view of *La Cartonería Mexicana/The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste* (2023-24) at the Museum of Interantional Folk Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico; piñatas by Francisco Rodriguez [La Cartonería Mexicana / The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste](https://www.internationalfolkart.org/exhibition/4946/la-cartoneraa-mexicana-the-mexican-art-of-paper-and-paste?ref=hyperallergic.com) *continues at the Museum of International Folk Art (706 Camino Lejo, on Museum Hill*, *Santa Fe, New Mexico)* *through November 3\. The exhibition was curated by Nora Dolan and Leslie Fagre.*