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TOHONO CHUL PARK
CELEBRATE EL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
WITH TOHONO CHUL PARK
SHOW OPENS SEPTEMBER 1ST
At the Exhibit Hall
Runs through November 6th
ARTISTS' RECEPTION
Friday, Oct. 21 5:00 – 8:00 PM – This special reception will coincide with Park After Dark 2 – the Park’s free, Fall event celebrating what happens in the desert after the sun goes down. Pyrotechnic performance, drum rhythms, wildlife presentations, larger-than-life puppetry and ghost stories are planned as part of the Park’s unique 20th Anniversary, family fun-filled celebration!
The centuries old tradition of El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is part of Tohono Chul Park’s colorful and engaging exhibit opening September 1 in the Park’s Exhibit Hall. Titled Día de los Muertos: Contemporary Expressions, this exhibit will showcase art works created by 23 southwest artists who have interpreted the celebration through paintings, sculptures, photographs, fine crafts and a variety of mixed media.
“These artists have delivered outstanding contemporary interpretations of this most special of observances,” says Tohono Chul Park Curator of Exhibitions Vicki Donkersley. “I’m eager for the community to visit and explore these unique expressions of our rich cultural, historical and spiritual traditions.”
With roots blending customs from pre-Hispanic and European influences, the Día de los Muertos holiday is traditionally a national observance to remember and honor family members who have died. According to Donkersley, one exciting aspect of the Park’s Exhibit will be the altar created by Carlos Navarrete, a Phoenix artist and painter raised in a small Afro-Mexican community called Lagunillas Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca, México. His altar flows with colorful flowers hand made from crepe paper, representing the light, happiness, and wisdom passed down from ancestors remembered with much affection.
The Exhibit, which runs through November 6, also will include a traditional home altar (ofrenda) for public display as part of the exhibit. Visitors may contribute simple mementos to the Community Altar to honor loved ones. In addition, notes on a recuerdo or memory card may be left at the Park’s altar (please note: mementos will not be returned). The Park’s Shops will provide decorated Day of the Day bookmarks free with purchases throughout the exhibition showing.
“We want to create a public space that celebrates the wonderful artistry of the revelry and reverence of this holiday, as well as provide individual opportunities for exploring the holiday’s cultural and spiritual intent. We hope it will provide creative excitement and a public place for contemplation and remembrance,“ says Donkersley.
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