Photograph courtesy of Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Something larger than life is coming to the Fernbank Museum of Natural History—and it’s not another dino. It’s “Spirit Guides,” a vibrant display of six to eight-feet tall hybrid animal sculptures.
Created by Oaxacan artists (and married duo), Jacobo and María Ángeles, the sculptures first appeared the Denver Botanic Gardens, and now they’re headed to Fernbank where they’ll be on display through August 3.
“Really what called us are the colors, the patterns, but also their significance with the Mexican culture and how in a very mythical and whimsical way their culture is being represented within this exhibit,” says Maria Moreno, a program manager at Fernbank.
Photograph courtesy of Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Photograph courtesy of Fernbank Museum of Natural History
The sculptures draw inspiration from the Mesoamerican astrology, which includes Aztec and Zapotec cultures. They followed a 260-day astrological calendar, with 20 astrological symbols (also known as day signs) which include animals like deer, the Quetzal bird, and fish. The sculptures also pay homage to nahuales, guardian spirits that live within animals.“The have symbolic personality traits, so they’re believed to share destiny and soul with their human counterparts,” says Moreno. “So all of these sculptures are a hybrid of two animals. Each of these draws on the symbolism from the calendar, and it’s a really great way to see yourself also in these sculptures.”
The artists live in San Martín Tilcajete, where they founded their workshop in 1994. They specialize in the ancient art of wood-carving and hand-decoration. The workshop has expanded over the years and now employs 100 artists and serves as an art school. Their work largely comprises sculptures carved out of wood and painted in natural dyes from their region of Mexico.
These outdoor giants however, are fabricated out of fiberglass and clad in an array of colorful patterns. The spirit guides will come to life in Fernbank’s WildWoods forest, which is accessed through an elevated boardwalk. Guests strolling through may see sculptures in combinations like deer-butterfly and coyote-fish.
Moreno’s favorite is the jaguar-eagle sculpture—the jaguar represents strength and strategy while the eagle represents leadership—outfitted in blues, orange, yellow, and teal. “It’s very bright and it’s going to be great for the time that it’s going to be here,” says Moreno. “It’s going to be really vibrant and amazing with all of the flowers and trees that are blooming.”
Advertisement
