Along with his colleagues Charles & Ray Eames and George Nelson, Alexander Girard was one of the leading figures in American design during the postwar era. While textile design was the primary focus of Girard's oeuvre, he was also admired for his work in the graphic arts as well as furniture, exhibition and interior design. Girard brought a sensuous playfulness to twentieth-century design that had been absent from the austere aesthetic of classic modernism.

Alexander Girard was educated in Europe as an architect. Returning to the United States in 1932, his designs defined a new kind of "opulent modernism", a look that became synonymous with 1960s America. His pioneering work in fabric design as well as his innovative commercial and residential interiors, captivated the public with their theatricality. Girard described himself as "a reasonable and sane functionalist, tempered by irrational frivolity."

Alexander Girard designed the Magic Snake motif for his exhibit of folk art at the International Exposition 'HemisFair '68' in San Antonio, Texas. The snake appeared as a decorative element on the facade of the 'Magic of a People' pavilion and also in the accompanying exhibition catalogue. The Metal Wall Relief Magic Snake is crafted from robust metal and has a colourful powder-coated finish.