The Guadalajara Reporter

Chapala city hall is all dolled up

Art lovers and fans of Mexican folk art who missed the delightful March 7 opening of Mi Muñeca (My Dolly) should consider hustling over to Chapala City Hall before the end of next week to have a look at this extraordinary exhibit of 36 papier maché figurines interpreted in very inventive ways by various Guadalajara and Lakeside artists.

The show was put together by Artemisa Ramírez and several fellow students at Guadalajara’s ITESO Jesuit university who are on a mission to preserve the dying art of cartonería doll-making, originated in Celaya, Guanajuato. They are intent on taking the exhibit on the road to other parts of Mexico and, if feasible, destinations abroad.

In addition to putting a personal creative stamp on an unadorned pre-fabricated model, each artist came up with a descriptive title and short memo referring to his or her vision of taking part in the project.

Ajijic’s Juan Navarro jazzed up the opening with a tender performance of  “La Muñeca Fea,” the well-known children’s song by Francisco Gabilondo Soler (Cri-Cri) about a tattered and forgotten toy that was the inspiration for his unique piece.