45,000 flowers to celebrate a Mexican spring in Madrid

Jorge Andres Bolanos Madrid, 22 Mar Forty-five thousand fresh flowers, including chrysanthemums and carnations, decorate these days the façade of the Casa de México in Madrid to celebrate the arrival in the northern hemisphere of spring, a symbol of the beginning of a cycle of transformation, desire and hope, according to Mexican culture. The Mexican flowered, inspired by tenangos - typical embroidery from the state of Hidalgo - represents “A threshold for spring”, an artistic work made up of all kinds of natural flowers that has been elaborated by a group of expert artisans from the North American country to the Spanish capital. The Festival of Flowers and Gardens in Mexico has collaborated in the creation of this natural mantle in which 15 days of work have been spent to build the structure of the façade and three days to place the flowers, which can be admired free of charge until March 28. “In Mexico, there is this tradition of putting floral covers in front of temples to celebrate different festivities. We wanted to bring it to celebrate the arrival of spring,” said Susana Pliego, director of culture of the Casa de México Foundation, to EFE. This Mexican tradition uses the technique of enflorado, which on this occasion is inspired by tenangos, colored embroidery originating in the state of Hidalgo with the shapes of mythical figures and animals, made with flowers instead of fabrics, in order to represent the vitality that spring brings to the year. “In order to carry it out correctly, we brought eight expert craftsmen from Mexico to decorate the facade of the building,” said Pliego. A FAMILY WORK For the preparation of this floral cover, the Casa de México Foundation had a group of expert Mexican artisans, headed by Mario Arturo Aguilar. The tradition of enflorado is carried over from generation to generation in the Aguilar family, since the rest of the authors who have traveled to Spain to design the work are members of the family. “It's a family job, we are the third generation to do this kind of work. We have been dedicated since we were 12 years old to making this type of cover with our grandfather,” said Maestro Aguilar. The florist was proud to be able to continue the craft that his family has dedicated himself to for generations, “we are part of a very rich tradition in Mexico and we try to show that to the world, that's why we are here”. His grandfather, father and now he, with his brother, uncles, cousins, nephews and friends from their neighborhood, have dedicated themselves to designing and assembling covers to decorate the entrances of churches at patron saint festivals and for the celebration of the Day of the Dead in pantheons and public buildings such as in the Zócalo in Mexico City. The creation of the cover of the Casa de México Foundation in Madrid required two weeks of hard work to build the structure and be able to flower. “We arrived in Madrid on March 7th, and we worked non-stop to get the cover ready for the presentation,” he said. Although, as he said, “we have already advanced the design work in Mexico, otherwise we would have needed another two weeks, since we make the designs by hand.” A TYPE OF EPHEMERAL ART Despite the complicated elaboration of these floral designs, you can enjoy their beauty and color for a very limited time. “A threshold for spring” is made exclusively with natural flowers as was done in the past, respecting the limited life of the flower and echoing the cycle of life. “Although it is a pity that it doesn't last longer, we are used to the ephemeral nature of our work,” Aguilar commented. The Casa de México Foundation estimates that the cover will be enjoyed throughout the week, “although watching the rainy weather, perhaps for a little longer,” Pliego said. CHIEF jabb-jrf-lht/ajs/ie (photo) (video)