San Jose Jazz
San Jose, Calif. – In celebration of their 35th Anniversary festival season, San Jose Jazz along with a host of community partners is proud to present a dazzling cultural experience like no other — “Alebrijes En San José”, a monumental art exhibition featuring eight fantastical sculptures rising to 22 feet tall, created by renowned artisans from Oaxaca, Mexico.
Debuting on August 8, the opening day of the 3-Day Fest weekend that happened from August 8–10, the fantastical creatures will be on display throughout Plaza de César Chávez through September 28. The public installation brings the spirit of Oaxacan magical realism to the heart of Silicon Valley, and when night falls, the eight extraordinary sculptures come alive glowing with colored light emphasizing their intricate painted motifs.
Touring across North America, the alebrijes exhibition amplifies the intricately designed, hand-crafted wood and papier-mâché creatures inspired by Zapotec legends and the visionary legacy of Pedro Linares, the Mexico City artist who popularized the Alebrije art form in the 20th century. Each sculpture—crafted from fiberglass with a reinforced internal metal structure—is engineered for durability and scale, weighing over 1,200 pounds, and glowing at night with multicolored LED illumination. On August 9, 2024 the exhibit was enhanced by SJZ Summer Fest’s first-ever drone show featuring hundreds of drones pulsating with light, color and motion to the themes of the different alebrijes artworks.
“These towering Alebrijes are more than sculptures—they visit us as guardians of artistic expression and cultural heritage. With our Summer Fest and this extended exhibition we celebrate the rhythms and resilience of our community through music and art. Our city’s soul lives in its artists—many of whom are immigrants. Here in San José, nearly 40% of our community were born in another country, and their stories—like jazz—are full of improvisation, depth, and vibrant soul.” says Julie Ramirez, Board President, San Jose Jazz.
“Artists create alebrijes by combining elements of various creatures to form something stronger and more beautiful, which to me is a perfect analogy for the diverse community that built and continues to create San José today,” says Mayor Matt Mahan. “We are strong, resilient, and innovative because of our diversity. Alebrijes En San José will give us a chance to come together and celebrate our city while connecting with this incredible Mexican folk-art form.”
San José District 2 Council Member Pamela Campos, adds: “San José is known for its diverse heritage and culture of creativity. Alebrijes are vibrant, fantastic works of art that embody the spirit of joy and resilience. In a city that celebrates our diversity, I am thrilled to see our community partners coming together to make this unique Alebrijes art installation possible. Embracing the deep contributions of Mexican and Oaxacan families in San José is essential to ensuring the legacy of our immigrant community continues to be celebrated for many generations to come.”
John LaFortune, President & CEO, Team San Jose says, “Alebrijes En San Jose is a very welcome addition to our City’s summer events and to SummerFest’s already best-in-class programming. We thank San Jose Jazz and our local hotels for bringing this important, free public art exhibit to our residents and visitors. We’re proud to be part of a community that understands the importance of art and culture and we invite everyone to visit San Jose this summer. And, while you’re here, look around for more – the entire city is an extension of gallery walls and performance stages this summer!”
Local restaurant Mezcal has been a favorite in downtown San Jose for 16 years. Restaurant owner Adolfo Gomez comments, “As someone born in Oaxaca, seeing these monumental alebrijes come to life in the heart of downtown San José feels deeply personal and powerful. In a time when immigrant communities are often politicized or erased, it’s more important than ever to uplift and honor the cultures that shape this city. It means a lot to see the community rally behind something rooted in our heritage.”
Hailing from legendary artisan towns including San Marrn Tilcajete, Arrazola, San Pedro Cajonos, and Ocotlán, the Alebrijes En San José exhibition showcases the masterwork of Angélico Jiménez, Efraín Fuentes, ConstanMno Blas, Margarito Melchor, María Jiménez, Adrian Xuana, and Leonardo Linares (descendants of Alebrije creator Pedro Linares). These artists pay homage to indigenous craftsmanship while elevating popular Mexican art to monumental scale—offering a rich, visual counterpoint to the rhythms of San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2025.
Following its previous installation in Reno, the Alebrijes tour continues its mission fostering cultural dialogue and expanding arts accessibility across the U.S. with this rare opportunity for South Bay audiences to experience Oaxaca’s living traditions in an urban outdoor gallery setting. From stellar live music throughout downtown San Jose to the myths of Zapotec, the multi-dimensional display of sound to sculpture is what makes the 35th San Jose Jazz Summer Fest the ultimate fiesta bringing Latin culture into the spotlight.
Community events with an array of partners supporting “Alebrijes En San José” will be hosted across downtown San Jose this summer to commemorate the milestone exhibition. Kicking off the exhibition, as well as Summer Fest weekend, is Noche de Alebrijes Gala on August 6, from 7–10pm. Spearheaded by Mezcal owner Adolfo Gomez, this elegant evening highlights cuisine by Mexican chefs such as Tavo Gomez, Libo Gomez & Miguel Rovera (Mezcal), Jo Lerma-Lopez & Julio Juarez (Luna), Azari Cuenca Maitret (Copita), Luis Cruz (The Press Room), Sandra Murillo (Petiscos), and others from top Silicon Valley restaurants showcasing the unique flavors, techniques and stories from across Mexico’s diverse regions. Guests will enjoy an array of food stations, fine wines, tastings of mezcal and other liquors and live entertainment.
Through September 28 there will be a variety of free, public events that will unite the community in celebration of Mexican culture. From August 12 through to December 2025, “Sueños Fantásticos: Alebrijes & Nahuales,” an exhibition of original handmade alebrijes will be on view during business hours in the Tower Lobby of San José City Hall, deepening the viewer’s appreciation of this beautiful art form and its diversity today.
Only through September 28, the original artworks on which the 20- foot sculptures in Alebrijes En San José are based will also be on view. Other events include an alebrije-themed cultural festival Ritmo y Colores including a procession, live music from East LA’s Las Cafeteras, food and another exciting drone show on September 6; outdoor movie nights at the Circle of Palms on September 3, 10, 17 and 24; an alebrije glass-blowing demonstration by the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI) on September 8; and a closing celebration on September 28. City dance nights at the Circle of Palms outside the San Jose Museum of Art will include salsa on September 18, and a closing celebration on September 28 featuring high-energy Oakland-based Afro-Latin band, La Misa Negra.
At Community Day (September 14) at The Tech museum, join the co-founder and principal of Rbhu for a dynamic overview of the engineering process behind large-scale artworks such Alibrijes en San Jose. This presentation will explore how creative vision meets structural reality—from concept to installation—and showcase some of the most fascinating projects Rbhu has engineered over the past decade. Engineering Imagina=on: Rbhu’s Journey Through Large-Scale Works features a discussion with Alireza Lahijanian, Co-Founder and Principal, Rbhu Engineering. San Jose Jazz is also working with the City’s Office of Racial and Social Equity to spotlight the national program of Welcoming Week (September 12-21, 2025) in San Jose, Calif. For more details, please visit sanjosejazz.org.
Stay up to date on event details by visiting alebrijes.sanjosejazz.org.
ARTISTS & SCULPTURES
Leonardo Linares – The CatBird and The LionBull
The grandson of Pedro Linares, known as the creator of alebrijes, Leonardo Linares has inherited his family’s tradition of Mexican cartonería (paper mâché). The alebrijes he sculpts depict fantastical beasts that combine features of both real and mythical creatures.
Angélico Jiménez – The Cat Nahual
The son of Manuel Jiménez Ramírez, who is credited for developing Oaxaca’s copal wood version of cartonería alebrijes. The Jiménez family was launched into the spotlight in 1977 when filmmaker Judith Bronowski documented the family’s unique artistic talents. This newfound fame allowed Angélico to showcase his alebrije creations worldwide and become Oaxaca’s cultural ambassador.
Efraín Fuentes – The Coyote
A third-generation wood carver, Efrain Fuentes has practiced his craft since childhood. Today he collaborates with his wife and family carving pieces inspired by Zapotec culture, painting traditional designs that are found in the archaeological sites of Oaxaca such as Monte Albán.
ConstanMno Blas – The Happy Alien
Originally a farmer in a remote region of Oaxaca, Constantino Blas began pursuing art in his 30s in hopes of increasing his limited
income. His decades of carving wildly imaginative sculptures gained him national recognition. However, he unfortunately passed away in October 2021 before he could exhibit on an international stage.
Margarito Melchor – The Armadillo
The descendent of artisans, Margarito Melchor is a pioneer of Oaxacan wood carving who has exhibited his work worldwide. Melchor was intrigued by the craft when he found he could carve with common farming tools. The scenes of his daily life inspire his creations of familiar animals and members of his community.
María Jiménez – The Rabbit
Working alongside her brothers in their Oaxacan workshop, María Jiménez paints their animal carvings with delicate details of buZerflies and flowers. Identifying herself as an artisan, she practices her craft daily alongside farm work. Her creations have won statewide accolades and are exhibited in both Mexico and the United States.
Adrian Xuana – The Dog
In his forty years of experience, Adrian Xuana has become most known for carving award-winning masks and a recurring skeletal dog design. Known as the “death-dog,” this creature represents the journey of the dead to the underworld.
SCULPTURES AT SCALE
Photo Credit: San Jose Jazz
