Dezeen School Shows: imaginary creatures with animal characteristics are featured in these projects by students at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey.

Included is an illustration of a creature that merges traits of bats and opossums, and another combining a peacock, eagle and serpent.

Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

Institution: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey
School: School of Architecture, Art and Design
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Rocío Romero Hernández, Constanza Casamadrid, Andrea Zelaya and Juan Camilo León Sarmiento

School statement:

"This exhibition features a collection of illustrations, objects and both 2D and 3D animations.

"Inspired by the tradition of Alebrijes, the artists reinterpret traditional imagery through contemporary forms of representation, using mixed media as the vehicle for their creative process. The result is a vibrant and singular bestiary."

Haiwi by Vanya Ixchel Rodríguez Orozco

"This 3D sculpted artwork is a hybridisation of three species endemic to the western region of Mexico City.

"The main characteristics of the white-eared hummingbird, the green golden jumping spider, and the northern cacomixtle – agility and vivacious personality – inspire the dynamic pose of this alebrije."

Student: Vanya Ixchel Rodríguez Orozco
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01785566@tec.mx

Tonayolotl by Montserrat De León Ahumada

"Tonayolotl is an alebrije that embodies the duality of day and night, merging the nocturnal wisdom of the owl, the strength of the jaguar, the adaptability of the axolotl, and the resilience of the iguana.

"At its core lies a heart – the heart of the sun – symbolising life and balance.

"From this centre flows energy that connects the calm of the night (blue tones) with the vitality of the day (warm yellows and pinks), acting as a guardian of harmony between light and darkness."

Student: Montserrat De León Ahumada
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01770527[at]tec.mx

Yollotl by Sofía Pedraza Leyva

"Yollotl is a tribute to and immortalisation of the scarlet macaw, the Cozumel raccoon and the axolotl – representative species of our country that are, unfortunately, currently endangered."

Student: Sofía Pedraza Leyva
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01783601[at]tec.mx

Tlazinacantli by Alonso Garza Chávez

"Not even the immense density of the city can stop bats and opossums from roaming the territory at nightfall.

"Appearing and vanishing in an instant, these two animals form the Tlazinacantli, a nocturnal spirit that endures despite the hostility of its urban habitat.

"It flies through Mexico's dark skies, hanging upside down, its bright eyes fixed on you in the shadows; its muted colours camouflage it from a world that fears such creatures."

Student: Alonso Garza Chávez
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01785883[at]tec.mx

Michni Lani by Verónica Chimal Peña

"Michni Lani ("winged cat" in Zapotec) celebrates Mexico's biodiversity by integrating four animals that shape our identity.

"These include the jaguar (strength), the white-tailed deer (balance and connection to nature) and the serpent and eagle, which reference the national symbols of the Mexican flag, reflecting the balance between sky and earth."

Student: Verónica Chimal Peña
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01771102[at]tec.mx

Cuauhuitli by Ruth Cancino

"The Cuauhuitli is based on the majesty of the golden eagle, fused with the elegance of the peacock and the strength of the serpent.

"These animals, deeply rooted in Mexican culture, represent a powerful union of opposites.

"My technique combines digital and analogue methods, allowing for a more effective visualisation and interpretation of my alebrije."

Student: Ruth Cancino
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01784730[at]tec.mx

Xoláyotl Emplumado by Pily Nicole Monroy Saavedra

"This piece merges two animals steeped in Mexican history and pre-Hispanic symbolism. The Xoloitzcuintle embodies spirituality as a guardian of the underworld, while the Golden Eagle stands as a powerful Mexica emblem.

"Crafted as an alebrije, the work incorporates a decorative skeleton evoking the Day of the Dead.

"Xoláyotl Emplumado represents a fusion of national identities, celebrating Mexico's vast natural and cultural heritage."

Student: Pily Nicole Monroy Saavedra
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01771085[at]tec.mx

Sin título by Carlos Francisco Nava Martínez

"This alebrije combines features of a teporingo, a ram, a bat and Judas Iscariot. Its bear-like claws, bifid tongue and human eyes suggest a state of madness.

"Created using digital techniques combined with programming, this work explores a digital materiality that I intend to investigate further."

Student: Carlos Francisco Nava Martínez
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01770116[at]tec.mx

Tonaláhui by Mayte Enriquez Arizmendi

"Tonaláhui is a Solar Nahual, a carved alebrije that fuses the chameleon with the sacred snail, a form revealed by the Tonalpohualli (Calendar of Destiny).

"Its body serves as a canvas for grecas and glyphs, while its eye is a Solar Disk measuring destiny.

"The cavity in its coral carapace is the Tonalli Tlapalcuahuitl (the soul's conduit) that receives the light of the thirteen heavens.

"This work celebrates constant metamorphosis and an identity forged between ancestral roots and the rising sun."

Student: Mayte Enriquez Arizmendi
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01769919[at]tec.mx

Baila la Vida by Abril Quetzalli Sotelo Mora

"Baila la Vida represents the union between an axolotl, inspired by the Tlanchana of Metepec, and an opossum with hummingbird wings.

"Hand in hand, these two distinct beings dance atop a maguey – a symbol of roots and origin. The piece celebrates a shared life and the profound joy of encountering one another."

Student: Abril Quetzalli Sotelo Mora
Course: BA in Digital Arts
Tutors: Juan Camilo León Sarmiento, Andrea Zelaya, Rocío Romero Hernández, and Constanza Casamadrid
Email: A01769500[at]tec.mx

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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