Guerrero Chimalli
{{Short description|Sculpture in the State of Mexico}}
{{for|the adjacent BRT station|Guerrero Chimalli (Mexibús)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox artwork
| title = Guerrero Chimalli
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| other_language_1 = Spanish
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| image = Guerrero Chimalli de Sebastian.jpg
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| caption = The sculpture in 2016
| artist = Sebastián
| year = {{start date|2014}}
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| medium = Steel
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| height_metric = 60
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| weight = {{convert|870|t|abbr=on}}
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| city = Chimalhuacán
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| website = [https://experiencia.edomex.gob.mx/recursos_turisticos/mostrarDetalleRecursos/1993 experiencia.edomex.gob.mx]
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| coordinates = {{coord|19|24|47|N|98|59|02|W|display=inline,title}}
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Guerrero Chimalli ({{IPA|es|ɡeˈreɾo tʃiˈmali|lang|Es-mx-Guerrero Chimalli.wav}}; "Shield Warrior") is an outdoor steel sculpture by Enrique "Sebastián" Carbajal, installed along Bordo de Xochiaca Avenue, in Chimalhuacán, State of Mexico. It is a {{convert|60|m|sp=us}} artwork that depicts an indigenous warrior holding a Chīmalli (a type of shield) and a mace. The plinth serves as a museum and the sculpture has an observation deck.{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/mexico/milenio-edo-de-mexico/20190812/281749860988724|title=Guerrero Chimalli tiene mirador y museo|work=Milenio|date=12 August 2019|language=Es|trans-title=Guerrero Chimalli has an observation deck and a museum|first=Zuleyma|last=García|via=PressReader|access-date=9 March 2022}} Excluding their plinths, it is slightly taller than the Statue of Liberty, in the United States.{{cite book|title=Everything You Know About Art is Wrong|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkwmEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT125|first=Matt|last=Brown|date = 15 February 2018|publisher=Batsford|isbn=9781849944298}}
History and description
File:Guerro Chimalli (14970156466 91d415cfd4 o).jpg
The sculpture of Guerrero Chimalli is a {{convert|50|m|sp=us}} tall red Aztec warrior that holds a Chīmalli and a mace. It was created by Enrique "Sebastián" Carbajal. The sculpture itself weighs around {{convert|600|t|sp=us}}, but the concrete plinth (which is {{convert|10|m|abbr=on|disp=sqbr}} high) and the 65 piles that support them increase the height to {{convert|60|m|abbr=on}} and the weight to {{convert|870|t|abbr=on}}. Due to its height and color, the sculpture can be seen throughout Chimalhuacán and in adjacent zones.
Its construction started during the 2009–2012 municipal administration. It is composed of 33 welded steel pieces painted with red polyurethane paint. The artwork cost US$2.4 million (which would be ${{Inflation|US|2.4|2014}} million in {{Inflation-year|US}}, considering inflation). Additionally, the government remodeled the median strip where it lies; they added a fountain, bridges and trees. These additional works cost $1.4 million (${{Inflation|US|1.4|2014}} million in {{Inflation-year|US}}).
The sculpture was inaugurated on 13 December 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/comunidad/2014/12/13/997572|title=Inauguran escultura Guerrero Chimalli de Sebastián|trans-title=Guerrero Chimalli sculpture by Sebastián inaugurated|date=13 December 2014|agency=Notimex|work=Excélsior|location=Chimalhuacán|language=es|access-date=6 March 2022}} It was dedicated to the Tenochcas that defended Tenochtitlan during the Fall of Tenochtitlan.{{cite web|url=https://www.milenio.com/estados/el-gran-guerrero-chimalli|title=El gran Guerrero Chimalli|language=es|trans-title=The great Guerrero Chimalli|first=Emiliano|last=Pérez Cruz|date=27 December 2014|work=Milenio|access-date=6 March 2022|url-access=registration}} The sculpture has an observation deck at its arm. It is {{convert|40|m|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|2.4|m|abbr=on}} high and it is connected to the base with a staircase composed of 250 steps and an elevator.{{cite web|url=https://hgrupoeditorial.com/guerrero-chimali-adorna-la-zona-urbana-de-chimalhuacan/|title='Guerrero Chimali' adorna la zona urbana de Chimalhuacán|trans-title='Guerrero Chimali' decorates the urban zone of Chimalhuacán|location=Chimalhuacán|work=H Grupo Editorial|date=26 April 2021|language=es|access-date=9 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/cultura/2015/sebastian-acepta-critica-guerrero-chimalli-1083788.html|title=Sebastian acepta crítica a Guerrero Chimalli|location=Naucalpan|first=Rebeca|last=Jiménez Jacinto|date=11 March 2015|work=El Universal|language=Es|trans-title=Sebastián accepts criticism of Guerrero Chimalli|access-date=9 March 2022}}
Sebastián described his work as "an exceptional, attractive and emotional colossus" whose purpose is "to promote the spirit, to understand what we are and to proceed as a society with a modern and universal mentality".{{cite web|url=http://www.cronicadechihuahua.com/El-Guerrero-Chimalli-uno-de-mis,32558.html|title=El Guerrero Chimalli, uno de mis sueños cumplidos: Sebastián|trans-title=Guerrero Chimalli, one of my dreams fulfilled: Sebastián|work=La Crónica de Chihuahua|date=December 2014|first=Lily|last=Dueñas Vázquez|location=Mexico City|access-date=9 March 2022|language=es}}
Reception
Like most of Sebastián's works, Guerrero Chimalli received mixed reactions to the artist's style.{{cite web|url=https://www.paredro.com/guerrero-chimalli-polemica-escultura-monumental-de-chimalhuacan/|title=Guerrero Chimalli, polémica escultura monumental de Chimalhuacán|trans-title=Guerrero Chimalli, controversial monumental sculpture of Chimalhuacán|first=Alejandro|last=Rodríguez Durán|date=13 January 2015|access-date=9 March 2022|language=es|work=Paredro}} It additionally received criticism due to its cost as half of the municipality's population lives in some degree of poverty.{{cite web|url=https://labrujula.nexos.com.mx/chimalhuacan-y-la-oportunidad-del-guerrero-chimalli/|title=Chimalhuacán y la oportunidad del Guerrero Chimalli|language=Es|trans-title=Chimalhuacán and the opportunity of Guerrero Chimalli|first=Paulina|last=López Gutiérrez|work=Nexos|date=19 May 2015|access-date=9 March 2022}} According to Sebastián, the most expensive investment were the cranes that placed each piece. It was also compared to Mazinger Z, Ultraman, Godzilla and Transformers.{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/cultura/2015/01/23/actualidad/1421986959_850629.html|title=El guerrero y la antorcha|trans-title=The warrior and the torch|first=Pablo|last=De Llano|date=2 April 2015|work=El País|language=es|access-date=6 March 2022}} Gil Gamés wrote for El Financiero: "You spot it from a distance and the warrior is ugly, but if you get closer it is simply hideous".{{cite web|url=https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/opinion/gil-games/escultura/|title=Escultura|date=30 January 2015|first=Gil|last=Gamés|language=es|trans-title=Sculpture|access-date=9 March 2022|work=El Financiero}} Sebastián compared the criticism the sculpture received with similar opinions the Eiffel Tower experienced when it was inaugurated.{{cite web|url=https://www.animalpolitico.com/2014/12/el-guerrero-chimalli-de-sebastian-costo-30-millones-y-el-presupuesto-casi-alcanzo/|title='Guerrero Chimalli' costó 30 mdp; tiene una historia similar a la Torre Eiffel, dice autor|trans-title='Guerrero Chimalli' cost 30 million pesos; has a similar history to that of the Eiffel Tower, says author|date=18 December 2014|first=Gonzalo|last=Ortuño|work=Animal Político|language=es|access-date=9 March 2022|archive-date=19 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119221701/https://www.animalpolitico.com/2014/12/el-guerrero-chimalli-de-sebastian-costo-30-millones-y-el-presupuesto-casi-alcanzo/|url-status=dead}}
See also
- Coyote en Ayuno, another sculpture by Sebastián in the neighboring municipality of Nezahualcóyotl.
- List of the tallest statues in Mexico
References
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External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Guerrero Chimalli}}
- {{Official website|https://experiencia.edomex.gob.mx/recursos_turisticos/mostrarDetalleRecursos/1993|Guerrero Chimalli}} at the State of Mexico's official tourism website (in Spanish)
- [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/guerrero-chimalli Guerrero Chimalli] at Atlas Obscura
{{Sebastián (sculptor)}}
Category:2014 establishments in Mexico
Category:Museums in the State of Mexico
Category:Outdoor sculptures in the State of Mexico
Category:Sculptures of men in the State of Mexico
Category:Steel sculptures in Mexico
Category:Indigenous peoples in State of Mexico