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What Makes Day of the Dead a Showcase of Memories?
Updated: 3 days ago
The season of Halloween is here. It’s time to wear spooky attire, carve the creepiest faces into pumpkins, and ward off everything evil (including your neighbor’s cat!). It also reminds us of the thin boundary that lies between the dead and the living. Though Halloween belongs to the Celtic Samhain tradition marking the end of the autumn harvest season, overlapped by the myths of wandering spirits, this occasion is interpreted differently in global cultures. One such interesting event is observed in the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. It is observed on November 1 and 2 every year, celebrating the intersection of life and death, where altars are artfully decorated to welcome the dead and the departed.
Why is Día de los Muertos celebrated?
In Mexican art and culture, dating back to ancient Aztec civilizations, death is not considered the end of life. It is regarded as a continuation of life’s journey. The departed souls are invited to feasts and offered tortillas and drinks so that they can be reunited with their loved ones in this physical world. Overwhelmed? There’s more to this spooky reunion!
It is fascinating to see the artistically decorated altars, called ofrendas, built in each home, decorated with candles, marigolds (cempasúchil), and red cock’s combs. That’s how art transforms remembrance into a celebration of life, without grief and mourning.
When Art Becomes the Moment-Maker: Dead Ones Are Invited to Ofrendas
Not all great art is preserved in museums or plush galleries; some is observed as art of transience. This is true for the Mexican tradition of Ofrendas that keep memories alive in an unthinkable way. They are no less than meticulously crafted artistic pieces.
Think of a vibrant altar adorned with bright marigolds to ward off the gloom, with mellow candlelight to guide the returning souls, and photographs and personal belongings of the deceased to make them feel familiar!
There are Papel Picado, or vibrant paper cuttings; sugar candies shaped like skulls; and pan de Muerto, the traditional sweet bread baked for the special day. It is no less a celebration.
That is how ofrendas become an altar of love and remembrance, artistically. More than an altar, it becomes a visual narrative of color, flowers, textures, personal memories, and untold stories. As a painting, a photograph, or a sculpture expresses emotions, a Day of the Dead altar communicates feelings without spending a word.
Traditional Mexican Art & Craftsmanship for the Wandering Souls!
Imagine walking through the streets of Mexico during the Day of the Dead carnival; you’d feel an instant magnetic energy. The ancient Aztec customs were influenced by Catholic rituals and have evolved through the passage of time. This special day of remembrance is observed with great grandeur and feasting in Mesoamerican culture.
When we speak of death, we speak of gloom and sadness, but these Mexican rituals of inviting the deceased are just the stark contrast to our traditional beliefs. Usually, black is represented as the color of death, which is replaced by the brightness of yellow marigolds.
Even the skulls are made of brightly-colored breads to be dipped in hot chocolate or coffee. The sunny colored marigolds offered on altars are believed to illuminate the path of the returning souls. Backdrops are crafted with hanging paper cuttings and painted clothes. All of these reflect a vibrant Mexican culture celebrating the union of life and death.
How Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Embraced the Art of Día de los Muertos
The names of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera are deeply associated with Mexican art history. These two icons of Latin American Art portrayed Dia de Muertos in their famous works, “Girl with Death Mask” and “The Day of the Dead,” respectively.
Girl with Death Mask – Frida Kahlo
Frida portrayed many faces through her self-portraits; “Girl with Death Mask” is one of them. Painted in 1938, this artwork reveals an image of a little girl holding a yellow flower in her hands, wearing a skull mask.
It shows Frida’s deep understanding of the inevitability of death while she showcases hope and renewal through the yellow flower. The place looks desolate and gloomy where the girl stands alone, with a tiger mask lying beside her feet. Frida used symbolism to balance gloom and despair with hope and survival. This artwork was presumably painted when Frida was mourning the death of her baby by miscarriage.
The mask painted here resembles masks used in the annual festival of Dia de los Muertos, where death is never mourned but celebrated.
The Day of the Dead – Diego Rivera
The art world reveres Diego Rivera for his massive frescoes; this painting is one of those epic ones. “The Day of the Dead,” the name suggests the theme: a celebration of Día de los Muertos where people are seen rejoicing in the homecoming of their departed loved ones, playing music and drinking. A cheerful crowd wearing colorful attire and masks suggests community bonding. Musicians in the background look like skeletal figures playing musical instruments, adding to the spooky yet joyful vibes of the festival. Diego’s paintings are deeply rooted in Mexican culture and heritage, and this one is no exception.
Day of the Dead Art: Celebrating the Return of the Spirits
Day of the Dead art is not only prevalent in Mexican tradition but has also influenced American pop culture to a great extent. Movies help an ancient ritual of Día de los Muertos reach wider audiences beyond geographical boundaries. Popular culture helps people understand the significance of this special observance that echoes similar American values of family and community. Over time, this celebration has become an important part of a thriving Mesoamerican culture.
The customs of the Day of the Dead continue to evolve from a Celtic harvest story of warding off a chilling winter to reuniting with departed souls. But the heart of the celebration remains the same.
While the world celebrates Halloween with pumpkins and potions, it’s time to embrace spookiness through the lovely art of transience, to mark the juncture of hope and despair, joy and sorrow – just to remind us that life feels beautiful when grief is painted with the colors of celebration!
Be spookily curious this season of the dead: Explore scary Halloween paintings that existed before Halloween peeps and candy corns!
