Creating the Giants: Meet Hermes Arroyo, San Miguel’s celebrated mojiganga artist.
San Miguel is famous for its mojigangas, and much of that recognition can be traced to one man: Hermes Arroyo.
You can’t spend much time in San Miguel without seeing one.
A giant bride and groom bouncing down the street. A Catrina towering above the crowd. Gigantic, colorful characters weaving through the streets in front of the Parroquia.
They are impossible to miss, and very much a part of the magic and celebratory life of San Miguel.
These enormous paper-mâché figures are mojigangas, giant characters worn from the inside and brought to life as they move through the streets. San Miguel is famous for its mojigangas, and much of that recognition can be traced to one man: Hermes Arroyo.
Yesterday, my family and friends and I had the pleasure of meeting Hermes at his studio and family home right in the heart of Centro. What we found was much more than a workshop. It was a glimpse into the world of a very creative mind and an artist who has devoted his life to these extraordinary figures to life.
The Studio-Home
The first thing you notice is that this isn't simply an artist's studio. It is a family home.
La Casa de las Mojigangas is the home of Hermes's grandmother, and it is still very much a home today. The family lives and works here, with the studio woven into everyday life.
There are giant heads and figures alongside religious artwork, tools, paints, materials and pieces in various stages of completion. Family members work side by side, creating and working in the same rooms where generations of the family have lived.
Yesterday, we were welcomed by Hermes's nephew, José, who gave us a lovely tour of the studio and house. There were wonderful nooks and corners to discover, and beautiful views from the upper rooms.
But, of course, the highlight was meeting Hermes.
The Artist: Hermes Arroyo
Hermes Arroyo was born and raised in San Miguel de Allende, and art has been part of his life since he was a child. His grandmother taught him puppet making, introducing him to a craft that would become central to his life.
As a young man, Hermes apprenticed with the San Miguel master Genaro Almanza, learning the painstaking techniques of sacred religious art and the making and restoration of saints and religious figures. That training would become an important foundation for the artist he would become.
Hermes is much more than a maker of giant figures. He is a trained artist whose work encompasses religious art, restoration, masks, sculpture, papier-mâché and mojigangas. He has also spent decades teaching art, including working with children with special needs in Comonfort.
It is his work with mojigangas, however, that has made him one of the most important artists associated with the tradition in San Miguel.
Hermes did not invent the mojiganga. The tradition is much older. What he has done is make the form his own and help bring it to a much wider audience, while keeping its traditional character alive.
His career with mojigangas began in earnest in the 1990s, after he was asked to create figures for a local festival. From there, his work grew and evolved. Today, his figures are instantly recognizable for their expressive faces, elaborate costumes and remarkable sense of personality.
And his subjects are what make them particularly special.
Hermes makes brides and grooms for San Miguel weddings, sometimes creating figures that actually resemble the couple. He has made Catrinas, religious figures and famous Mexicans, but what seems to interest him most is ordinary people.
He has created figures inspired by people from his community, including a bricklayer and a woman who made tortillas for his family. As Hermes has explained, he prefers making figures inspired by Mexican popular culture and everyday people.
From San Miguel to the Vatican
In 2016, Hermes spent several weeks at the Vatican as part of a Mexican delegation of artists. He created special religious works, including different representations of the Virgin Mary, and had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Pope Francis.
It is a wonderful example of Hermes’s versatility. He can create deeply traditional religious iconography, including solemn and beautiful Virgins, and then turn around and create the colorful, larger-than-life mojigangas that dance through the streets of San Miguel.
The Way Hermes Sees
One of the things that struck me about Hermes was his energy. He has a childlike curiosity about the world, combined with a deep knowledge of art, history and tradition.
He notices things.
At one point, he noticed the traditional embroidered shirt my friend was wearing and immediately began talking about the symbols and patterns woven into it, including their meaning and history. It was fascinating to watch.
Hermes seems to see the world through designs, symbols and stories. Nothing is simply decorative. A pattern, a figure, a piece of clothing can all open a door into something deeper.
That curiosity is very much at the heart of his work. Hermes has a wonderful, inquisitive energy, and so do his creations. They are fantastical, alive and joyful. He brings a sense of magic and delight into the world, and we need more of that.
Visit the Workshop
La Casa de las Mojigangas also has a small gift shop at the entrance, filled with handmade pieces and local crafts.
You can arrange an appointment to tour the workshop and see where the mojigangas are created, or sign up for a mask or papier-mâché figure-making class, where you get to paint and decorate your own piece.
It’s a wonderful way to see the craft up close and take home something you made yourself.
For more info: https://casamojigangas.com
