In a remarkable convergence of musical excellence and traditional Mexican artistry, renowned guitar manufacturer Paul Reed Smith recently presented Maná frontman Fernando “Fher” Olvera with an extraordinary custom instrument that transcends the boundaries between musical craftsmanship and cultural heritage. This unique guitar, painted by master artisan Hedilberto Méndez from the legendary woodcarving village of San Martín Tilcajete in Oaxaca, embodies the power of artistic collaboration to transcend cultural boundaries.
Everything started when Smith met Mendez, an alebrije artisan, at a market in the streets of Oaxaca City. Smith has long been recognized as one of the most innovative and respected guitar manufacturers in the world. Since founding PRS Guitars in 1985, Smith has consistently pushed the boundaries of instrument design, combining traditional luthier techniques with cutting-edge technology to create guitars that are as visually stunning as they are sonically superior.
A memorable collaboration
PRS instruments have found their way into the hands of countless legendary musicians, from Carlos Santana to Mark Tremonti, each guitar representing Smith’s unwavering commitment to excellence and his deep understanding of what musicians need from their instruments.
The collaboration between Smith, Olvera and Méndez represents a fascinating intersection of different artistic traditions. While guitars have long been canvases for artistic expression – from the intricate inlays of classical instruments to the bold graphics of modern electric guitars – this particular project takes the concept to an entirely new level by incorporating one of Mexico’s most cherished folk art traditions.
The process of transforming a PRS guitar into a work of art worthy of Méndez’s talents required careful consideration of both the instrument’s functional requirements and the artistic vision. Unlike a traditional alebrije sculpture, which exists purely as a visual art piece, this guitar needed to maintain its musical functionality while serving as a canvas for Méndez’s art. This meant that every brushstroke, every color choice and every design element had to be carefully planned to ensure that the instrument’s acoustic properties and playability would not be compromised.
Maná, Mexico’s rock ambassadors
Maná, a veteran Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning rock band from Guadalajara, has been one of Mexico’s most successful rock exports for over three decades, led by the charismatic Olvera, whose distinctive voice and passionate stage presence have captivated audiences worldwide. Olvera’s powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence have made him one of Latin America’s most recognizable rock stars since the band’s formation in 1986.
Fher has also been a passionate advocate for environmental causes and social justice, using his platform to raise awareness about issues affecting Latin America and the world. His appreciation for traditional Mexican arts and culture has been evident throughout his career, making him the perfect recipient for this unique artistic collaboration.
Hedilberto Méndez and his tradition
Nestled in the mountains of Oaxaca, approximately 23 kilometers from the state capital, lies the small village of Tilcajete, home to fewer than 1,500 residents but renowned worldwide for its extraordinary woodcarving tradition. The art of alebrije creation begins with the careful selection of copal wood, a soft, lightweight material that is ideal for carving.
According to Hedilberto, his work was inspired by the caracol – the sacred snail – that moves through time in perfect spirals, carrying within its shell the mathematics of creation itself. In Zapotec cosmology, this humble creature holds the secret of existence: that all things begin where they end and end where they begin. The spiral is not merely a shape. It is the very breath of the universe, the way energy moves through all living things, the path that souls take as they journey from the material world to the realm of the universe.
“I see this same spiral carved into its very essence”. The sound hole becomes the center of the cosmic spiral, the place where silence transforms into song, where the void gives birth to vibration.
The creation of a special instrument
Given Fher’s commitment to environmental causes. Méndez’s art on the guitar features the representations of a jaguar, the largest wild animal on the American continent and which inhabits the diverse ecosystem of the region’s cloud forests.
The musical instrument’s body retains the elegant curves of the guitar, says Hedilberto, while incorporating the muscular power of the iconic big cat. Strings of pure energy ran along its spine, each one attuned to different aspects of night’s domain—one for dreams, another for shadows. For the Zapotec, the Jaguar Deity is a guardian, a protector of all that dwells in darkness. The neck stretched and thickened, becoming a powerful throat from which would emerge roars that could shake the very foundations of reality.
This collaboration represents a significant moment in the careers of all three artists involved. For Smith, it demonstrates his company’s commitment to supporting artistic expression and cultural exchange while also showcasing the versatility of PRS instruments as canvases for artistic collaboration, aligning with PRS’s reputation for creating unique custom instruments that push the boundaries of what a guitar can be.
When Olvera takes the stage with this one-of-a-kind guitar, he carries with him not just a tool for making music but a piece of living cultural history that connects him to the rich artistic traditions of his homeland.
Social anthropologist and photojournalist Ena Aguilar Peláez writes on health, culture, rights, and the environment, with a strong interest in intercultural interactions and historical and cultural settings.
