Alfonso Hernandez, known as Piñata Man, has created an amazing gigantic piñata of a Dia de log Muertos Selena for Mundao Latino at the State Fair of Texas.
Mundo Latino commissioned the piece to celebrate the rich history and significance of the Day of the Dead.
Hernandez has been making piñatas since 2016, and has made everything from Pennywise the Clown from IT, Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and more! He spent about 10 days to make the giant Selena statue, 10-hours a day. The piñata weights about 400 pounds, with papier-mache on the body, legs, and head, and a steel frame that holds the piece up.
“Selena is a huge part of our (Mexican) culture, so as an artist, there was a lot of pressure. I worked on the face every single day. I’d wake up, paint it, soften it up, go back to sleep and then work on it again. I did that for like seven days straight. Then the body, torso and legs – all of that came easy to me. Most of the work goes into the face.”
— Alfonso Hernandez
Alfonso’s daughter helped paint the designs on Selena, and his father helped build the steel frame to support the giant statue.
“The term starving artist – I’ve lived that because the art once came before my health... And this positive feedback is something I survive off because I was practicing art like nothing else mattered. I feel rejuvenated and like everything was worth it.”
— Alfonso Hernandez
He’s been making piñatas for six year, and has made over 1,000 of them in the garage he converted to start his company. He designs custom piñatas that cost about $100 per foot, and is booked for the rest of 2022. He hopes to take things to the next level in 2023. We look forward to seeing more amazing piñatas from Piñata Man! Follow him on Instagram.