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In Houston, artists hold a ``Day of the Dead Rock Stars'' where
they pay homage to departed singers like Joey Ramone, Johnny
Cash and even ``El Marvin Gaye.'' Community centers in Los
Angeles build altars for rapper Tupac Shakur and Mexican
artist Frida Kahlo.
``It's everywhere now,'' said Carlos Hernández, 49, a
Houston-based artist who launched the ``Day of the Dead Rock
Stars'' event. ``You can even get Día de los Muertos
stuff at Wal-Mart.''
The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, honors departed
souls of loved ones who are welcomed back for a few intimate
hours. At burial sites or intricately built altars, photos of
loved ones are centered on skeleton figurines, bright
decorations, candles, candy and other offerings such as the
favorite foods of the departed. Pre-Columbian in origin, many of
the themes and rituals now are mixtures of indigenous practices
and Roman Catholicism.
The holiday is celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and parts
of Ecuador.
Leading up to the day, bakers make sugar skulls and sweet
``bread of the dead,'' and artists create elaborate paper
cut-out designs that can be hung on altars. Some families keep
private night-long vigils at burial sites.
In North America, decorations often center on images of La
Calavera Catrina—a skeleton of an upper-class woman whose image
was made popular by the late-Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe
Posada. She is typically seen on photos or through papier-mache
statues alongside other skeletal figures in everyday situations
like playing soccer, dancing or getting married. La Catrina
is the most popular recreated figure related to the holiday.
``She is our best-selling item,'' said Torres, 35, who owns the
Masks y Más in Albuquerque, a shop that sells Day of the
Dead art and clothing year-round. ``I have artists sending me
their Catrina pieces from all over.''
Albuquerque's National Hispanic Cultural Center hosts an annual
``Día de los Muertos Community Gathering,'' featuring many of
the artists from Masks y Mas. The community ``ofrenda”—the
term for a Day of the Dead offering or homemade altar—features
blessings, live music and poetry, Oct. 17-Nov. 8. The center
also is exhibiting an altar by Mexican-American novelist
Sandra Cisneros dedicated to her mother.
The city also hosts an annual parade where marchers dress in Day
of the Dead gear and makeup, and it organizes a ``Day of the
Tread'' bike and marathon race.
The exhibits and events are not limited to the Southwest.
Harvard University's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
has a Day of the Dead altar on permanent display and offers Day
of the Dead art classes to students in second to eighth grades.
And in New York City, the Brooklyn Arts Council recently
initiated a year-long Day of the Dead education project to
heighten public awareness ``on mourning and remembrance.''
The growing Latin American population in the U.S. and the
increased influence of Latino culture here in everything from
food to TV programming are obviously major factors in the growth
of Day of the Dead celebrations. But the holiday's increased
popularity may also coincide with evolving attitudes toward
death, including a move away from private mourning to more
public ways of honoring departed loved ones, whether through
online tributes or sidewalk memorials.
``I think it has to do with Sept. 11,'' said Albuquerque,
N.M.-based artist Kenny Chávez. ``We're all looking at death
differently, and the Day of the Dead allows us to talk about
it.''
For some in the U.S., the Day of the Dead remains personal as
they use the occasion to remember close loved ones. But for
others, it's a chance to honor late celebrities or just an
opportunity to dress up as a favorite Day of the Dead character.
Chávez said those unfamiliar with the event sometimes freeze
when they first see Day of the Dead images. ``We have people
come into the shop and ask if this about the occult or devil
worshipping,'' said Chavez, who works at Masks y Más. ``They get
all weirded out until you explain what this is.''
It's also become a business outside of the holiday period.
Torres said part of his business out of Masks y Más was
embroidering muerta images on the shorts and gloves of
mixed martial arts fighters. ``They can't get enough of it,'' he
said.
Torres said white and Native American artists are also now
creating artwork around Day of the Dead themes. ``It all about
understanding the meaning of the day,'' he said. ``They can take
chances with the art.''
But as Day of the Dead grows in presence, some fear that the
spiritual aspects of the holiday are being lost. Already in
Oaxaca, Mexico, where Day of the Dead is one of the most
important holidays of the year, the area is annually overrun by
U.S. and European tourists who crowd cemeteries to take photos
of villagers praying at burial sites. Art dealers also buy cheap
crafts, then resell them at much higher prices at chic shops in
the U.S.
Oscar Lozoya, 57, an Albuquerque-based photographer who shoots
fine art photographs of La Catrina, said some newcomers
to the holiday are merely using it as an excuse to party and
dress up in skeleton costumes. He hopes that they eventually do
their research.
``I know what it means and its importance,'' said Lozoya, who
hosts an annual Day of the Dead art show. ``So I think the more
people look beyond the art and learn about it, the more people
will understand its real significance.''
Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/russcontreras
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