The Day of the Dead is one of the most stunning and important living traditions in Mexico, classified in 2003 by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Mexican community north of the US/Mexico border conserves and participates in the traditions of Day of the Dead by gathering in cultural spaces such as the Museum to honor and remember loved ones no longer present. Mexican artists on both sides of the border frequently express a sense of continuity and cultural identity in their works of art. Fine art and folk art are integrated into this exhibition to bring to life a Mexican celebration that bridges borders.

Participating Artists

William Acedo, Wayne Healy, Alejandro Rivera Leal, Concepción Aguilar Alcántara, Ester Hernández, Diego Rivera (1884 - 1957), Adalberto Ángeles Ojeda, Pedro Hernández, Heriberto Rodríguez, Raymundo Andrade, Juan Horta Castillo (1940 - 2006), Tino Rodriguez, Jacobo Ángeles Ojeda, Nicolás de Jesús, Michael Roman (1956 - 2016), María Ángeles Ojeda, Betty LaDuke, Jorge Rosano (1955 - 2011), Dámaso Ayala Jiménez, Sotero Lemus Gervacio, Victor Rosas, Jon Baitlon, Miguel Linares Mendoza, Alex Rubio, Valerie C. Burton, Paula Linares, Fredy Santiz Martínez, Reva Brooks (1913 - 2004), Pedro Linares (1906 - 1992) and Family, Tomasz Sarnecki, Ricardo Carbajal Moss, Ricardo Linares G., Juan José Soteno, Yreina Cervantez, Raúl López-Reyes, José Alfonso Soteno Hernández, Alejandro Colunga, Álvaro Márquez, John Tallacksen, CHema Skandal!, David A. Martínez, Joey Terril, Ricardo Duffy, Arnulfo Mendoza (1954 - 2014), Patssi Valdez, Felipe Ehrenberg (1943 - 2017), Eduardo Oropeza (1947 - 2003), Ismael Vargas, Milton Vicente Elvir Hernández, Raul Ortiz, George Yepes, Arturo García, Virgo Paraiso, Alejandro Rosas Zapién, Gronk, Christopher Ramirez, and 20 anonymous artists

Mural Artists

Ricardo Gonzalez assisted by Enrique Reyes, Abdi Y. Maya, Jonathan Carradine and Chris Duran. Gloria "Gloe" Talamantes assisted by Gloria Valle

Ofrendas & Installations

Pilar Acevedo (Illinois), Melissa Marie Garcia “Mildred”, Susan Mullen and Rebecca Wolfram (Chicago), Nikki Jarecki, Zachary A. Pino, Matteson A. Pino and the José Clemente Orozco Academy of Fine Arts – CPS (Chicago), Shizu Saldamando (California), Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna Esparza Ahrens (California), Raul Gonzalez III with Elaine Bay (Massachusetts), Blanca Estela Tinoco and Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán (INAH), Rodolfo Villena Hernández assisted by Raúl Hernández Castillo (Puebla), Faustino De La Cruz López assisted by Fredy Gelacio Santiz Martínez (Chiapas), Steve Talbot (Commissioned by People’s History Museum, Manchester, UK)

The Xoloitzcuintle Project / El proyecto xoloitzcuintle (Chicago) artists

 José Agustin Andreu, Monstrochika, Rene H. Arceo, Yvette Mayorga, Carlos Barberena, Alfonso "Piloto" Nieves, Carmen Chami, Pedro Palacios & Rodrigo Montoya Ortiz, Bianca Diaz, Missy Rosa, Mario "Zore" Gonzalez, Luis A. Sahagun, Ricardo Santos Hernandez, Roberto Ferreyra, Jeff. A. Maldonado, Robert Valadez, Rosanna Mark-Andreu, Salvador Vega

Curator

Dolores Mercado

Organizing Institution

National Museum of Mexican Art

Displayed at

National Museum of Mexican Art Main Gallery