(Written by William)
When LEGO offered the #21372 LEGO Ideas La Catrina set for review, I had to admit I had kind of forgotten about it. LEGO Ideas does have a lot of models in various stages of production, and it is now the one line I just choose to be surprised about when something new comes out. I’m usually interested in these models since they tend to have interesting build experiences, but would something so culturally specific help or hinder my enjoyment?
Given the fact I do like checking out the history of places and things, there was every indication that I would have a good time with the model. Plus, it definitely seemed like a truly unique experience, considering the scale of the model dwarfed the #40492 LEGO BrickHeadz La Catrina set I reviewed a while back (see links at the end of this post). And I always love checking out what fan designers come up with. Turns out, after building this set, I consider the fan designer Jose Miguel Medina a true folk artist from Mexico. Is this a good thing? Read on and find out.
LEGO LA CATRINA – A MULTICULTURAL ICON
Today, many Mexicans view La Catrina as a symbol for Day of the Dead. However, her rise to this status is a lot more multicultural than you might think. The information here was sourced from this PBS article: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/how-la-catrina-became-the-iconic-symbol-for-the-day-of-the-dead
Jose Posada was the initial illustrator of La Catrina. Much of his art featured skeletons, known as his calaveras. La Catrina herself was relatively unknown among his work. She was meant as a commentary on the garbanceras, peasant women who sold garbanzo beans. These women would powder their faces and dress in elegant French styles to sell their wares. Posada felt that these women were throwing away their culture for a poor imitation of another people. Therefore, the original name of La Catrina was La Calevera Garbancera.
Posada’s work was kept alive by his publisher. They were a regular appearance around each Day of the Dead. It wasn’t until the 1920’s that a French artist instrumental in the Mexican art movement took notice of Posada’s work. Jean Charlot searched around and found Posada’s publisher, finding out who had made this unique work. Charlot’s influence spread among the art community and reached two others instrumental in making La Catrina the icon she would become.
Frances Toor, an art critic, and Diego Rivera, artist and art director for Toor, began featuring Posada’s work in their newsletters. This reached both Mexican and United States audiences. Still, La Catrina hadn’t gained her fame. Although she had finally been renamed with her first appearance as Catrina.
The popularity of Posada’s work grew until the mid-1940’s when a riot broke out at Chicago’s Institute of Art. The riot came from too many people trying to see an exhibit of Posada’s Calaveras. Front and center for the advertising and promotion was La Catrina, turning her into an international sensation.
From here, Rivera would go on to create one of his most iconic murals featuring La Catrina, Posada, and a young version of himself. Being one of Mexico’s most famous artists, this was enough for the folk art community to embrace La Catrina in nearly everything they made for Day of the Dead.
Today, La Catrina is a traditional symbol for Mexicans. The fan designer who created the original idea says as much in the brief section in the instructions for the model. Rather an odd journey for a character who started out as a portrayal of cultural abandonment, to one that stands at the heart of that same culture.
LEGO LA CATRINA – A SOLID FOUNDATION
I don’t think I truly grasped just how tall the LEGO La Catrina model was just by looking at the picture on the box. From the base to the top of her hat, not including the feather, she stands around sixteen inches. The feather adds about two inches. All this adds up to a very thin model in need of some serious support.
Therefore, it was amazing to see how the designer stacked elements and then periodically stuck axles through these elements to sandwich everything together. Adding to this, the decorative slopes that make up the tiers of the dress clip into the sides of this tower, further adding to the overall stability.
By the time you reach the torso, you may think the need for intense solid construction is over. However, it merely changes. The torso uses a mixture of brackets and sideways stud bricks to add layers of SNOT (Studs-Not-On-Top) construction as well as a LEGO Technic core for some mobility to create a densely interconnected core. It is not until you get to more decorative elements like the skull that the set leaves off on all this crazy structural integrity.
LEGO LA CATRINA – THE BUILD EXPERIENCE
I was curious how good a skeleton lady would look made out of LEGO elements. Especially considering that it was good enough for LEGO Ideas. Sets in this line tend to be rather enjoyable build experiences. So, I was a bit worried when the build started out.
It was a simple foundation with a tower of interconnected elements to hold on wedge slopes to make a skirt. As much as I enjoyed seeing a strong foundation, I wanted to rush through the skirt. It was not holding my interest at all. Don’t get me wrong, the tiers of the skirt with its pleats and decorative hems do look great. They were just very repetitive.
As if sensing my impatience, the model kicked into a totally different gear past the waistline. The internal structure looked odd. I was then mounting complex shapes to form the top section of the dress. Still, there were obvious joint connections added in a very smart, but slightly unconventional way.
It wasn’t until I got to the arms that I even got a break to go back to something simple. However, even the hands broke me out of my delusion. This has got to be one of the first five-fingered LEGO hands that don’t feel overcrowded. The shape and articulation are great, and it does all this while remaining skeletal-looking.
By this point, I couldn’t imagine what the skull would entail. And boy did it deliver. Not only was the construction accurate in how a skull should look, but achieving this was a fun session in “what the heck is going on?” Parts were being attached in all different directions. And when the teeth and jaw were formed using minifigure neck ruffles and boomerangs, I was smiling just as large as Catrina herself.
If there is only one complaint I have with this model, it is putting on the hat. On the top of the skull, there is a recessed clip. Into this, you have to connect a bar. This bar connects to the hat using a ball-joint. Each and every time I tried putting these two parts together, the bar decided it had other places to be. Remember to take a breath and not break the model at this point. It is worth putting on the hat.
LEGO LA CATRINA – FINAL THOUGHTS
Sitting on the shelf with a $139.99 price tag, I’m not sure I’d pick this one up right away. Having built the model, my stance softens on the price point. This is a truly unique build that is of a subject we don’t often see. The build experience is well worth the price. Plus, it has some surprisingly interesting part usage with the jaw of the skull and using horns and bananas for ribs. Throw in an amazing color palette and the price seems much more reasonable.
I also worried that La Catrina might come off as being a bit region-specific. I mean, it makes sense. She is an icon for Day of the Dead. However, digging into her past, I was stunned to find out how much her success came from international sources.
What that leaves us with is the art aspect of the model. Art is always subjective, and for that reason alone is going to be the real reason why you will or won’t find this model interesting. Skeletons in pretty dresses might just not be your thing. But if it is your thing, this is a great set to build and display. In the video review below, I will discuss the set in a bit more detail.
Here is the official description of the set: “Even in death, La Catrina smiles.” Showcase Mexican culture’s enlightened perspective on the human condition with the #21372 LEGO Ideas La Catrina figurine celebrating the Day of the Dead. This meticulously detailed, elegantly clothed skeleton figure embodies a unique combination of beauty and mortality. Attach brick-built marigolds and printed sugar skull decorations to her hat and dress. Place La Catrina on the base adorned with more marigolds and a brick-built monarch butterfly. Put the other butterfly in her hand and pose her head and arms to change up your display. The set contains 1,212 pieces, and the price is $139.99. It is going to be available starting on August 1st at the LEGO Icons section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like this unique LEGO Ideas set? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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