Alfredo Vilchis Roque

Alfredo Vilchis became an artist by accident. He was born in 1959, in the quarter of José Maria Pino, Mexico. He comes from a modest background, he began working after primary school and did many odd jobs. He worked as a newspaper boy, mason and a temporary laborer...One day he became unemployed, this is when he began painting miniatures. He sold these to his neighbors, passers-by and tourists. Following this, ex voto was a true discovery and revelation for him. This is when the creation of altarpieces began, and it still is the case today.

The artist puts his sensitivity at the disposal of those people, who are willing to thank a saint for having helped them, even save them, as was the case for his first ex voto, this was for a family who were safe and sound after a car accident. A story-teller of tragedies, the artist paints his subjects and the people he meets with great respect, as he considers them to be " a messenger of people's feelings".

In the Mexican ex voto tradition, he paints small slabs of metal, made up of illustrations and a simple text. Though, the artist is able to retain some freedom of contemporary expression, through bright colors.
Alfredo Vilchis has today made a name for himself, not only in Mexico but all over the world. Quickly, his work was able to move from Mexican flee markets to galleries or even museums for that matter.He was able to exhibit at the Louvre. Herve Di Rosa, the artist is a collector of his works.

He might be world famous, but this ex voto creator is still very involved in his community and animates workshops for young people, who live in difficult conditions in his quarter.