This year marks the 40th annual Día de Muertos exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art. As we reflect on four decades of collecting, preserving, and celebrating Mexican art and culture, this exhibition looks back through the Permanent Collection to trace the evolution of Day of the Dead and the museum itself. Just as Day of the Dead keeps the memories of loved ones alive, the museum preserves memory through art.

Rooted in ancient Mesoamerican beliefs and Catholicism, Day of the Dead has transformed over centuries, with each region of Mexico incorporating its own customs and beliefs into memorial celebrations. Mexican families on both sides of the border and worldwide gather each November 1 and 2 to welcome back the souls—and the memories—of their loved ones.

This year's exhibition is in honor of Dr. Gilberto Cárdenas (1947-2026), a dedicated scholar, pioneer of Chicano Studies, and a dear friend of the Museum. Gilberto believed in the power of art to honor the histories and voices of Mexican, Chicana/o, and Latinx communities in the US. His vision contributed to our Permanent Collection, and his legacy lives on through the art and memories we preserve together.

Curated by Dolores Mercado, Elisa Soto Sánchez and Cesáreo Moreno

Installation/Ofrendas
Miguel A. Del Real (mural)
Demetrio García Aguilar (Oaxaca)
Familia Ricardo Linares (Mexico City)
David Rios (Washington)
Fuentes Rojas (Mexico City)
CHema Skandal (Chicago) 
Institute for Latino Studies, University of Notre Dame
Robert Valadez & Gregorio Gómez (Chicago)

Participating Artists
Josefina Aguilar
Mary J. Andrade
Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin
Humberto Batista
Valerie C. Burton
Leonora Carrington (1917-2011)
Elena Climent
Olga Costa (1928-1993)
Nicolás de Jesús
Martha Gabriela Driessen
Luis Fitch
Guillermo Gadda (1945-2009)
José Luis González
Joan Hackett Romero
Ester Hernández
Brian Herrera
Ilda Lara
Carmen Lomas Garza
Arthur López
Mario López Torres
Manuel Manilla (1830-1895)
Gabriel Martínez
Leo Matiz (1917-1998)
Roberto Montenegro (1887-1968) 
Emmanuel C. Montoya
Ann Murdy
Alejandro Nava
Pedro Ortega Lozano
Uriel Parker (1968-2011)
José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913)
Deborah Rael-Buckley
Racrufi
Alejandro Rivera Leal
Heriberto Rodríguez
Michael Roman (1956-2016)
Roberto Rosales
Familia Santiago
Abdulia Santos
Óscar Soteno Elías
Patssi Valdez
Lorena Lidia Velasco Villanueva
Larry Yáñez
George Yepes
Alfredo Zalce (1908-2003)