Coyote en Ayuno
The sculpture in 2022
Location
ArtistSebastián
Year2008 (2008)
MediumSteel
Dimensions40 m (130 ft)
Weight300 t (300 long tons; 330 short tons)
LocationCiudad Nezahualcóyotl
Coordinates19°24′00″N 99°01′44″W / 19.40000°N 99.02889°W / 19.40000; -99.02889

Coyote en Ayuno ("Fasting Coyote"), also known as Coyote Hambriento ("Hungry Coyote") and Cabeza de Coyote ("Coyote Head"), is an outdoor steel sculpture by abstract monumental artist Enrique "Sebastián" Carbajal, installed on a roundabout in the intersection of Adolfo López Mateos Avenue and Pantitlán Avenue, in the municipality of Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico. The sculpture, which depicts a red coyote looking skyward, was inaugurated on 23 April 2008 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the founding of the municipality. The name of the sculpture references the etymology of Nezahualcóyotl.[1]

History and description

The complex (which includes the sculpture Coyote en Ayuno and its plinth) is 40 meters (130 ft) tall and 21 meters (69 ft) wide. It features a red-painted steel coyote looking skyward.[2][3] It was created by Enrique "Sebastián" Carbajal. The sculpture weighs around 300 metric tons (300 long tons; 330 short tons) and it was placed on a 21 meters (69 ft)-tall concrete pedestal.[3] It was installed on a roundabout between Adolfo López Mateos Avenue and Pantitlán Avenue, in Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, State of Mexico, where previously a water tank had been. Due to its height and color, the sculpture can be seen throughout Nezahualcóyotl.[2]

The sculpture was commissioned to Sebastián by the then-mayor of Nezahualcóyotl, Luis Sánchez Jiménez, with a budget of 2 million pesos, and it was to be completed within a year.[3] The cost soared to 5 million pesos and was completed in three years.[4] The Coyote en Ayuno was inaugurated on 23 April 2008 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the founding of the municipality.[3] According to Sebastián, the eyes face east, so that the first ray of sunlight on 23 April can cross through the eye socket and light is projected onto a commemorative plaque, like a pre-Hispanic ritual.[5] At the time it was inaugurated, the sculpture became the tallest of the country.[6]

In addition, the original project included a space to create a cultural center and a museum, but it did not materialize.[2] By 2018, there were plans to rehabilitate the sculpture and place a museum, but it did not happen due to a lack of budget.[7]

Reception

Like most of Sebastián's works, Coyote en Ayuno received mixed reactions to the artist's style. Many locals at first considered it ugly and disproportionate but later it became a landmark of the municipality.[8][9]

See also

  • Guerrero Chimalli, another sculpture by Sebastián in the neighboring municipality of Chimalhuacán.

References

  1. ↑ "¡Qué belleza la de Neza! Lugares que debes conocer para dar una paseo" [How beautiful Neza is! Places you should visit for a walk]. El Heraldo de México (in Spanish). 25 February 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "La tierna historia del Coyote en Ayuno en Neza" [The cute story of the Coyote en Ayuno in Neza]. Unión (in Spanish). 4 June 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Inauguran la 'Cabeza de coyote' en Nezahualcóyotl" ['Cabeza de coyote' inaugurated in Nezahualcóyotl]. El Universal (in Spanish). Nezahualcóyotl. Notimex. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "Senador perredista justifica su Coyote" [PRD Senator justifies his Coyote]. El Universal (in Spanish). 8 January 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  5. ↑ Núñez López, Mario Antonio (23 January 2008). "Aún sin fecha, la inauguración de la Cabeza de coyote en Neza" [Inauguration of the Cabeza de coyote in Neza still undated]. La Jornada (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Reinventan símbolo de Neza" [Symbol of Neza reinvented]. vlex (in Spanish). Nezahualcóyotl. 11 March 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  7. ↑ "Reparar 'Cabeza de Coyote' en Neza costaría 3 mdp" [Repairing 'Cabeza de Coyote' in Neza would cost $3 million pesos]. Diario de México (in Spanish). 26 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  8. ↑ Gaona, Pável M. (18 February 2021). "¡Qué belleza la de Neza! 5 sitios para turistear en Ciudad Neza" [How beautiful is Neza! 5 sites to visit in Ciudad Neza]. Chilango. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  9. ↑ Ramírez, Constantino (7 August 2022). "El Coyote de Hierro se respeta en Ciudad Neza" [The Iron Coyote is respected in Ciudad Neza]. El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2022.
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