Alfredo Vilchis
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Alfredo Vilchis (born in Mexico City, 1960) is a self taught artist specializing in exvotos, in which he narrates everyday life.
Exvotos are widely popular in Latin-American countries, where they first appear as thanks to (usually) the Virgin or a Patron Saint, for a miracle, for a cure, for a child birth etc. By extension, this art form passed from being purely religious to becoming popular and agnostic. Many of these are dedicated to glorify local or national heroes, not political ones but exceptional sportsmen and in particular those from the Mexican wrestling, Arena México or La Lucha Libre whose westlers are object to a cult, as much as the Virgin Guadalupe herself. In poor homes, altars are raised with several exvotos of the Virgin and various Saints, alongside those of the Luchadores – the westlers.
Alfredo Vilchis is one of the most popular exvotos artists in Mexico. He paints the Mexican daily life and events in a naïve style, which also characterizes the exvotos. After leaving school (he only went to Primary), he did various jobs that never lasted as his real interest was drawing. Since early childhood, he could spend hours on end or days with a pencil in hand and drawing on whatever he could find. He had a natural gift but never studied art. This did not prevent him from learning from books and museums. After dedicating several years as a miniature artist, he finally found his vocation when he was given an antique exvotos by his mother.
To this day, he has produced about 5,000 exvotos.
His pupils were his own children who now are taking the torch from the father, who is still active, to create the Vilchis Dynasty.
Alfredo´s work is highly praised at home but even more abroad where it has become a “collectable”. His huge production is being catalogued and vast numbers of collectors from the USA, Japan and Europe have found in Alfredo´s art a most sincere description of simple life of humble people as never depicted with such frankness as he only is capable.
Exvotos are widely popular in Latin-American countries, where they first appear as thanks to (usually) the Virgin or a Patron Saint, for a miracle, for a cure, for a child birth etc. By extension, this art form passed from being purely religious to becoming popular and agnostic. Many of these are dedicated to glorify local or national heroes, not political ones but exceptional sportsmen and in particular those from the Mexican wrestling, Arena México or La Lucha Libre whose westlers are object to a cult, as much as the Virgin Guadalupe herself. In poor homes, altars are raised with several exvotos of the Virgin and various Saints, alongside those of the Luchadores – the westlers.
Alfredo Vilchis is one of the most popular exvotos artists in Mexico. He paints the Mexican daily life and events in a naïve style, which also characterizes the exvotos. After leaving school (he only went to Primary), he did various jobs that never lasted as his real interest was drawing. Since early childhood, he could spend hours on end or days with a pencil in hand and drawing on whatever he could find. He had a natural gift but never studied art. This did not prevent him from learning from books and museums. After dedicating several years as a miniature artist, he finally found his vocation when he was given an antique exvotos by his mother.
To this day, he has produced about 5,000 exvotos.
His pupils were his own children who now are taking the torch from the father, who is still active, to create the Vilchis Dynasty.
Alfredo´s work is highly praised at home but even more abroad where it has become a “collectable”. His huge production is being catalogued and vast numbers of collectors from the USA, Japan and Europe have found in Alfredo´s art a most sincere description of simple life of humble people as never depicted with such frankness as he only is capable.
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