Día de Muertos

Artist

Carla Gamboa

Year

2017

Description

We want to replicate the color and the feeling of this important tradition. We will have a portrait of the Catrina in the back. The Catrina is the representation of death in a way of joy, grace and celebration, it is one of the most important icons of this festivity. She also symbolizes the contrasts between the upper and lower classes, in a country where diversity and class differences are deeper. The back represents the “papel picado” (tissue paper) that is commonly used to decorate the altar. We can also see a tree and the Cemetery. Our ancestors believed that the tree was the only being that was connected to heaven and earth (by touching the sky and the ground) as well as with the underworld thru its roots.

In the front, we have an “Ofrenda” with the most important symbolic elements as the paper, the sugar skulls, the pan de muerto (dead bread) and the food. We are using bright colors, characteristic of the Mexican Culture. On the sides, we can see skeletons from a dog and a cat (the Catrina’s pets) The dog represents a “Xoloitzcuintli” the hairless Mexican dog that was sacred for the Aztecs. We will use acrylics to paint/ sponge technique so typical in Mexico.

Photos