Who is Antonio Lapierre?

Antonio Lapierre is a self-taught naïve artist, giant puppet maker, and cultural storyteller based in Los Cabos, Mexico. Known for his handcrafted mojigangas and iconic Catrinas, Antonio brings Mexican traditions to life through large-scale characters that blend sculpture, theater, and visual art. His work appears in weddings, nautical parades, luxury resorts, cultural celebrations, and public festivals across Los Cabos.

Antonio’s journey began far from formal art schools. He grew up surrounded by makers and craftsmen, where creativity was a way of life rather than a technique taught in classrooms. One of the most influential figures in his life was Roger Lapierre, a jeweler he affectionately calls his “maestro,” who taught him patience, dedication, and the meaning of shaping something with heart and intention. Roger’s lessons formed the foundation of Antonio’s artistic identity.

As a young adult, Antonio explored craft, drawing, design, and sculpture in a completely intuitive way. He learned by trial and error — cutting, gluing, carving, painting, rebuilding — always seeking to understand how things could be made larger, stronger, lighter, or more expressive. Over time he discovered a natural connection with naïve art, a style defined by honesty, vibrant color, and the absence of rigid academic rules. This spirit aligned perfectly with his self-taught background and his desire to tell stories with sincerity.

Antonio’s breakthrough came the first time he stepped inside one of his own mojigangas. Hidden inside a giant puppet, he saw people react with joy, surprise, and admiration. In that moment, he realized something powerful: the puppet only comes alive when a human steps inside. The performer becomes the heartbeat of the character, and the giant figure becomes a bridge between imagination and reality. That experience transformed the way Antonio understood his work — not just as sculpture, but as living art.

His mojigangas have since been featured in numerous events across Los Cabos, including weddings on the beach, Día de Muertos celebrations, hotel festivals, and the well-known Altares en el Mar and the annual nautical parade, where his Catrina and Catrín became unforgettable symbols floating over the bay. Local organizers, artists, and audiences now recognize Antonio as one of the leading creators of giant puppets in the region.

Antonio’s artistic philosophy is rooted in three ideas:

Tradition must stay alive.

Through his Catrinas, founders, historical characters, and folkloric elements, he preserves and celebrates Mexican heritage.

Art belongs to the people.

A mojiganga is not experienced in silence — it dances, celebrates, and interacts. It brings people together.

Self-taught art has its own power.

Without academic boundaries, Antonio works with freedom, intuition, and a deep emotional connection to what he creates.

Today, Antonio continues building mojigangas in his studio in Los Cabos, always experimenting with new ways to improve structure, weight, movement, and detail. His work includes rentals, custom commissions, wedding characters, monumental Catrinas, thematic installations, and collaborations with local businesses, hotels, and cultural organizers.

What defines him is not only the scale of his art, but the heart behind it. Every puppet carries a piece of his story — a mix of persistence, gratitude, and the belief that art can transform ordinary moments into unforgettable memories.

“My art is alive because people give it life,” Antonio often says.

And in every event where one of his characters appears, that truth becomes visible:

a giant puppet becomes a giant emotion.