Jun 30, 2026 - Culture

East Coast-exclusive alebrijes arrive at Lewis Ginter

An exhibition of colorful and larger-than-life creature sculptures is at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden through September.

Why it matters: It's the first time the works have been available to view anywhere on the East Coast, per the garden.

State of play: "ALEBRIJES: Creatures of a Dreamworld" are Mexican folk art-inspired sculptures made of metal and papier-mâché.

They're brought to life by artists using acrylic paint and cartonería, a traditional Mexican art form, to create one-of-a-kind pieces.
In Richmond, the works displayed are from prominent alebrije artists, including Edgar Camargo Reyes and Perla Miriam Salgado Zamorano, whose designs were inspired the natural landscape.

Fun fact: Alebrijes originated in the 1930s and have become "celebrated symbols of Mexican art and cultural expression," per Lewis Ginter.

If you go: "Creatures of a Dreamworld" is at Lewis Ginter through Sept. 27.

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