The Alebrije is one of the most iconic forms of modern Mexican art. It is a form of cartonería or papier-mâché craft. Famous for their vibrant colors and imaginative designs, alebrijes are celebrated in shops, museums and even parades.

The inventor of the alebrije is Pedro Linares Lopez, a papier-mâché artist who came up with the idea when he had a fever-dream in 1936 of a fantastical jungle biome full of wild animals, all of them shouting the word "alebrijes". When he was back to full health, Lopez began depicting the creatures from his dreams. His sculptures took off and became national treasures, being awarded the 1990 National Prize for Arts and Sciences (Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes) in the Popular Arts and Traditions category, the highest decoration to artisans granted by the Mexican government, two years before his death in 1992.