Photos and text for Al Jazeera
The 21st Latin American convention comes amid reports of clown attacks that has brought bad name to professional clowns.
Hundreds of clowns have donned their biggest shoes to join the 21st Latin American clown convention in Mexico City. The convention has attracted participants from 14 countries around the region to take part in events such as make-up competitions and to learn extreme balloon twisting. But there’s a shadow hanging over their painted smiles this year: the trend of menacing clowns threatening the public around the US, Canada and the UK has now hit Mexico. People dressed as sinister clowns have been spotted scaring the public in various spots around the country. In retaliation, groups of clown hunters have cropped up on social media, sometimes writing aggressive threats to all clowns.
Al Jazeera caught up with the clowns to find out more.
Although clowning may have gone out of fashion in many parts of the world, not here. It’s not uncommon to see clowns performing around the streets of Mexico City. They often do tricks at traffic lights or on public buses. During a mini-parade around central Mexico City, some of the clowns broke off to walk around and chat with members of the public
Jose Antonio Larraga Montes, ‘clown Leperony Bombom’, looks at his Facebook account to see the latest threats put out by clown-hunting groups. He’s afraid they’ll try to hurt him and says that now going out in his clown costume has become stressful.
Clowns come to Mexico from 14 countries in Latin America to take part in the annual convention. Alvaro Patzan, ‘Yompiss’, travelled from Guatemala to join the festivities for the first time.
Clown feet…
As the clowns compete for best costume and make up design, they all dress to impress. Some got up at 4am to get their outfits ready. This clown judge wears a typical oversize Mexican sombrero as part of his persona.
450 clowns gathered this year for the Latin American annual convention. This year their worries about the ‘killer clown’ fad affecting their livelihood has been a dominant theme. Here they’re posing for a group photo
Many of the clowns are upset to be associated with the wave of ‘killer clowns’ around North America and the UK. They told Al Jazeera they hope people can tell the difference because they wear professional make up rather than the marks being worn by people dressing as ‘killers clowns’.
Although clowning may have gone out of fashion in many parts of the world, not here. It’s not uncommon to see clowns performing around the streets of Mexico City. They often do tricks at traffic lights or on public buses. During a mini-parade around central Mexico City, some of the clowns broke off to walk around and chat with members of the public
A prestigious highlight of the annual clown convention is the make up and costume competition. Clowns watch each other parade and explain their personas.
Jose Antonio Larraga Montes, ‘clown Leperony Bombom’, looks at his Facebook account to see the latest threats put out by clown-hunting groups. He’s afraid they’ll try to hurt him and says that now going out in his clown costume has become stressful.
450 clowns gathered this year for the Latin American annual convention. This time around their worries about the ‘killer clown’ fad affecting their livelihood has become a dominant theme. Here they’re posing for a group photo.
450 clowns gathered this year for the Latin American annual convention. This year their worries about the ‘killer clown’ fad affecting their livelihood has been a dominant theme. Here they’re posing for a group photo
Mexican clown feet.
The clown community uses the event as a time to trade tricks of the trade and show off their costumes.
Many of the clowns have family members in the same profession and brought their clown-clad children along.
