Artist honors Mexican roots with handmade papel picado

Papel picado, or punched paper, is a Mexican art form with a rich history. It is made by skillful artisans using tissue paper, a hammer, and chisels.

Guadalupe Hernandez, a Houston artist, has made it his mission to preserve this tradition.

"I believe like papel picado is this cultural treasure of Mexico," he said. "Whenever you see it, you immediately recognize it as Mexican."

His latest exhibit, Con Cariño at the Houston Endowment, took two years to complete and was made entirely out of papel picado.

"The idea behind Con Cariño is kind of like this appreciation for my parents who left their homeland and did all these things to provide for their family," he said.

Over the years, the Mexican tradition of hanging this festive paper has gained popularity.

"(You see them in) baptisms, weddings, Quinces, Da de los Muertos," he said.

Guadalupe feels the art form is slowly fading away.

"I think it's important that I respect that tradition and kind of produce it in this way and then also do workshops," he said.

Through his workshops, he teaches others the old-fashioned waya meticulous process using chisels, blades, and a hammer to make precise cuts.

His next big project is a big one. He designed a 30-foot-tall papel picado structure, which will hang at the East Aldine Management District.

"I worked with the fabricator to laser cut the designs out of aluminum panels," he explained. "So now the panels have been painted, the structure's complete, and we're just waiting on lighting for it."

The unveiling of the large structure is set to be unveiled on November 22.