Alebrijes at Cantigny Park

 31 July 2022

Cantigny Park in Wheaton, Illinois, is the former estate of Col. Robert R. McCormick, longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The estate was named for Cantigny, a small town in France, where where Col. McCormick commanded an artillery battalion in 1918 in the U.S. Army in WWI. The 500-acre estate has extensive gardens, a golf course, a "tank park" (as in army tanks), and the First Division Museum, dedicated to the First Division of the U.S. Army. When I was growing up in Chicago, Cantigny was always pronounced "can-TIG-nee", but today the French pronunciation, "Can-TEE-nee" is preferred.

Currently, 49 sculptures are on display in the gardens. "Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dream World" showcases vividly painted creatures created by six artists from Mexico City. Nineteen of these are large "monumental" pieces, while 30 are smaller (but still large) creations. An alebrije is an imaginary creature, usually incorporating two or more animals, and is associated with the Mexican "Day of the Dead". On our trip, we managed to see all but one of the Monumentals (we didn't see the one at the golf course), and most of the smaller creatures.

Patapez. A deep-sea fish that can walk as well as swim.

Firulais. A dog + salamander, guardian of the night.

Malucan. The official description is "Toucan + Monkey + Jaguar + Frog + Eagle + Butterfly + Bull." I can see all but the monkey (the eye, maybe?)

Nochipa ipan noyoltsin. Meaning "Forever in your heart" in Nahuatl.

Octavio. The Octopus is a collaboration from all six artists, ...

... and the tentacles extend many feet from the body.

Chopilin. "Cricket" in Nahuatl. One of the small pieces.

Totolt. "Bird" in Nahuatl. I'd love to have one of these woodpeckers in my woods!

Kutz. "Peacock" in Mayan.