Celebrating Día de los Muertos

Día de los muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” has a long history. Its origins can be traced back to the Aztec civilization, which held an annual festival in honor of the goddess Mictecacihuatl, aka the “Lady of the Dead.” Once Spanish Catholicism came to the New World, the festival became conflated with All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1), though the observance may last from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.

It is a time of remembering the dead, commemorating their life and a way of celebrating with them once again. Altars are set up with decorations and ofrendas (offerings) — flowers and mementos, figurines and photographs and favorite foods. Some imagery of the ofrendas is a familiar motif in Halloween iconography, particularly in the ubiquity of skulls and skeletons. But unlike the Halloween predilection for scariness, these skeletons are not seen as terrifying creatures, but reminders of the dead and mortality.

To celebrate Día de los muertos on your weekly Art Date, check out the following events and exhibitions:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 

Walker’s Point Center for the Arts Día de los Muertos Exhibition and Parade

WPCA celebrates this year with their 21st annual exhibition and 4th annual parade. The parade will be held on Friday, November 1st at Walker Square Park (1028 S. 9th Street). Scheduled events include:

• 3-4pm Face-painting, arts and crafts
• 5pm: Parade procession
• 6pm: Performance by Ballet Folklorico
• 7pm: Vigil for Peace

The exhibition continues inside WPCA (839 S. 5th Street) through November 16.

Latino Arts

Latino Arts Center (1028 S. 9th Street) opens their annual Day of the Dead Ofrendas exhibition on Friday, November 1 with a reception from 5 to 7:30 pm. The ofrendas are the creations of local and regional artists, presented as tributes to loved ones in families and communities. The exhibition continues through November 22.