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The Builders
For the monumental 20 foot pieces we work with 2 outstanding Mexican companies, EL VOLADOR and ARTSUMEX, under the supervision of the artists in order to respect the original pieces. Our team of architects and engineers have been “translating” the work of the craftsmen with proper plan, measurements, and calculation to meet any safety requirement. All pieces are unique, enlarged reproduction of the original sculpture. Each one is made in fiber glass with an internal structure. The removable pieces and their bases are sturdy enough for long-term public display and are all weather safe. A lighting system makes the entire exhibition even more attractive at night. The whole expo needs 3-53 foot box truck to be moved.
Artsumex Collective. Tradition, Art, and Mexican Monumentality
Founded in 2013 in Tultepec, State of Mexico, Artsumex Collective is an artisan workshop dedicated to the creation of monumental papier-mâché pieces, with a strong specialization in alebrijes and large-format artistic sculptures. Our work is distinguished by absolute dedication, regardless of the size of the work: from a museum piece to a colossal sculpture, each creation is imprinted with the love, tradition, and passion we feel for the art of being artisans.
The collective is led by siblings Jesús, Amauri, and Natividad Sanabria, who, with a shared vision and a deep commitment to Mexican folk art, have consolidated a creative and multidisciplinary team working under the same philosophy: to make art an unforgettable experience.
We are a versatile collective that is not pigeonholed into a single type of project. We have designed everything from illuminated alebrijes for parades and traveling sculptures to complete stage sets for large-scale events. Our most iconic projects include the construction of the main stages for the Vive Latino festival (2022-2025), sculptures for EDC Mexico since 2021, and the participation of monumental pieces in the film "James Bond 007: Spectre." We have also taken our work abroad, such as Lille 3000 festival in France, and we are featured suppliers for the Day of the Dead River Parade in San Antonio, Texas.
We primarily serve art, cultural, and entertainment institutions, as well as museums, festivals, and artists looking to collaborate with a team capable of bringing ideas to life on a large scale. Although we occasionally work with the general public, our focus is on projects that seek to transcend and generate unique visual experiences. Colectivo Artsumex is made up of 18 artisans and specialists in areas such as design, carpentry, welding, reed sculpture, painting, and paper-mâché and Styrofoam modeling. Our organizational culture is based on collaboration, friendship, and constant learning, which translates into vibrant, powerful, and authentic works.
El Volador
Initially formed by a group of Young Artists from ENAP (National School of Plastic Arts), Our identity was forged through folk crafts, tradition, ingenuity, and that unconditional love for who we are as a people.
In the early days of the workshop, our art found inspiration in the Day of the Dead celebrations.
We were part of the first monumental altars in museums and cultural centers, but our true breakthrough came when Mexico City first dreamed of an International Day of the Dead Parade in 2016.
We were pioneers, creating iconic pieces from the very first year that have set the course and aesthetic of the parade, consolidating our position as a benchmark year after year for this celebration that today excites the entire world.
However, our journey reached new heights in 2010, when we had the opportunity to participate in the Bicentennial Celebrations of Mexico's Independence.
In 2011, we were selected to create the props and stage elements for the main segment of the closing ceremony of the Pan American Games in Guadalajara.
Three years later, in 2014, we returned to the international stage, responsible for the design and construction of the main awards stage and the cauldron base for the opening ceremony of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz.
In 2018, our giant, illuminated alebrijes crossed the Atlantic to participate in the El Dorado Festival in Lille, France.
Between 2017 and 2019, we brought Tim Burton's creatures to life in 3D for the first time, creating pieces exhibited in the gardens of the Franz Mayer Museum in Mexico City, at The Neon Museum in Las Vegas, and most recently in Seoul, South Korea, as part of its international exhibition.
The heart of Mexico continued to beat strongly in other territories:
Since 2019, we participated in the Day of the Dead Parade in San Antonio, Texas, a magical nighttime event where illuminated barges navigate the city's river, carrying skulls, catrinas, and floating spirits, all created in our workshop.
Our Art has also ventured into the world of theater. Plays such as "Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Jose el Soñador," "Lagunilla mi Barrio," "Greaselina Timbiriche," and "Spamalot" bear our stamp on their stage designs.
Today, more than 30 years after,we continue to dream big:
The Alebrijes and Nahuales Tour takes us through more than 10 states in the United States with eight monumental sculptures based on original pieces by great Mexican artisans, a tribute to our traditions, our roots, and our infinite creativity.
El Volador is not just a workshop. It's a declaration of love for the neighborhood, for art, and for Mexico.
