Like Us
Follow Us
Celebrating life through honoring the dead
The 20th annual DÃa de los Muertos show opens this Friday, in conjunction with Gallery Night, at the Walker's Point Center for the Arts, 839 S. 5th St., from 5 to 9 p.m. The exhibit will remain up until Saturday, Nov. 17.
The show features more than a dozen unique ofrendas (altars) in addition to sculpture and 2-D work related to DÃa de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) which are built by Milwaukee artists and community members to honor deceased loved ones.
DÃa de los Muertos recognizes death as a celebration of life and reminds people to reflect on what they value through the commemoration of loved ones.
Traditionally, the ofrendas are built for All Saints Day, Nov. 1-2. The belief is that the spirits of passed loved ones are most likely to visit during this time. To entice them back to the material world, the ofrendas are decorated with their favorite foods and drinks, along with pictures, mementos, marigolds / flowers, skulls and skull figures.
Jose Alfredo Chavez, originally from the state of Michoacan in Mexico, has been involved with the show since it began, and has been the curator for the past three years. Chavez is a self-taught painter, sculptor, print maker, photographer and videographer. He also holds a masters degree in business.
"Back in Mexico we always celebrated DÃa de los Muertos and I wanted to pass this on to my daughters. The purpose of the ofrendas is to honor the memory of those loved ones that went ahead of us," he says.
Chavez is also teaching a sugar skull decorating demonstration on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 1 to 2 p.m. at WPCA.
This year's ofrenda builders include Jeanette Arellano, Melanie Ariens, Kate Bradley, Georgina Campbell, Celeste Contreras, Xela Garcia, Claudia Guzman, Diego Heredia, Ava Hernandez, JoAnn Jensen, Tami Langowski, Dara Larson, Lona Long, Janice Mahlberg, Pam Miller, Jill Moore, Claire Ruzicka, Mary Smith, Llysa Spencer, Sue Vliet, Leanna Wooten and myself, along with my partner, Royal Brevväxling.
This is the first time I've created a public ofrenda. I have built them in my home for many years, but decided this year to do it on a larger scale in order to honor deceased Milwaukeeans along with a few loved-but-defunct Brew City places.
Everything on the Milwaukee ofrenda is connected to Milwaukee. There are framed photos of 30 Milwaukeeans along with soy candles hand-poured by Brandy Glass-Lucchesi into clean El Rey salsa jars, Great Lakes Distillery's Kinnickinnic whiskey, Miller bottle vases with marigolds and Milwaukee fabric created by the talented Allison Beilke.
Among the 30 honored Milwaukeeans include former OnMilwaukee.com media columnist Tim Cuprisin, former mayor Frank Zeidler, former civil rights' activist James Groppi, former artist Mary Nohl, former art model/year-round sunbather Dick Bacon and many more.
Beloved Milwaukee places like the Sydney Hih building and the Oriental Pharmacy are also honored on the Milwaukee ofrenda.
"In Mexico this is mainly a religious celebration, but here in the United States it is meant to be inclusive due to the fact that we are such a diverse society. It does no matter what your religion is or even if you are an atheist," says Chavez.
Talkbacks
 |
No Talkbacks for this article. Post your comment/review now |
Facebook comments
Disclaimer: Please note that Facebook comments are posted through Facebook and cannot be approved, edited or declined by OnMilwaukee.com. The opinions expressed in Facebook comments do not necessarily reflect those of OnMilwaukee.com or its staff.
Recent Articles & Blogs by Molly Snyder
Food enthusiasts weigh in on the term "foodie"
Published May 23, 2013
There are numerous terms that could be used to describe a person who is passionate about food and cooking. Like "food lover" or "gourmand" or "cuisine connoisseur" or even "food nerd." However, in our modern culture, "foodie" is the label that seems to stick like an al dente noodle on a wall.
Harley and High Life pair up
Published May 22, 2013
The official kick-off of a partnership between Harley-Davidson and Miller High Life took place at MillerCoors Brewery today.
Tornadoes are terrifying
Published May 21, 2013
It seems like every week, sometimes more than once, we're grieving something awful.
Does fashion have to change in middle age?
Published May 19, 2013
Just because a woman turns 35 or 38 or 40 doesn't mean her wardrobe has to become a wasteland of frump and "mom jeans." Especially these days, when 40 is supposedly the new 30. But are there fashion dos and don'ts for middle-aged women?
Cocoon Room spreads its creative wings
Published May 18, 2013
Recently, four Milwaukee creatives opened the Cocoon Room, 820 E. Locust St. The goal of the group is to provide artists and musicians a space to share and sell their work as well as provide educational outreach to the community.
Rhino Foods: more than cans of crickets
Published May 17, 2013
Rhino Food Store, 7411 W. Hampton Ave., is what I always want Pacific Produce to be: cheap, unoffensive to my sense of smell and filled with my favorite Asian foods and items.
What's with H&M's sizing?
Published May 16, 2013
Ninety-eight percent of my wardrobe is a size 6, and so, naturally, that's the size I grabbed at H&M. However, I could barely pull the pants above my knees. So I got an 8. Better, but still too small.
Dretzka's Department Store depresses, delights
Published May 16, 2013
Maybe to fully appreciate Dretzka's Department Store in Cudahy one should approach it more as a living museum of mid-century clothing and household items rather than a shopping destination. But then again, few escape a trip to Dretzka's without buying at least one quirky item.
PETA's "Got zits?" billboard breaks out in Milwaukee
Published May 15, 2013
A new PETA billboard on West Lisbon Avenue shows a teen with a pimple-covered face, a milk mustache and the words, "Got zits? Studies Show: Milk and Cheese Trigger Acne. Ditch Dairy."
A look inside the Milwaukee Mall
Published May 14, 2013
You probably drove by this mall a thousand times. Ever wonder what it's like inside? We did and here's what was discovered about this 20-year-old mall, formerly a Sears.
