Enrique Alférez

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Enrique Alferez (1901 - 1999) was Mexican born Louisiana artist, best known as a sculptor in the art deco style.

"Fountain of the Winds", detail, New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 1930s
"Fountain of the Winds", detail, New Orleans Lakefront Airport, 1930s

The son of a sculptor, young Enrique spent some time in the army of Poncho Villa in the Mexican Revolution before coming to the United States. He studied with Lorado Taft in Chicago, Illinois in the 1920s, then from 1929 on lived in New Orleans, Louisiana. His sculptures and reliefs adorn many parks, buildings, and landmarks in New Orleans and south Louisiana. In a Works Progress Administration program, he created many sculptures for City Park, New Orleans.

Alferez painted an official portrait of Huey P. Long (who, Alfarez revealed decades later, he loathed).

His fountain at New Orleans Lakefront Airport is a well known local landmark. He made reliefs for a number of buildings, including the Charity Hospital Building in New Orleans and the Palmolive Building in Chicago.

Alferez remained active in to his later years, both as a working artist and an art teacher.