Annual exhibit at SV Museum of Art through Sunday
Last Friday afternoon, Maria Ramos was putting the finishing touches on the altar that would become part of this week’s “Dia de los Muertos” exhibition at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art.
Ramos, who is from Tonaya, Jalisco, Mexico, had never before participated in the museum show, now in its eighth year.
“We decided to participate by putting up an altar to honor my father, with his pictures, pictures from saints to whom he used to pray, his favorite food, his vase, his cigarettes and tequila,” she said.
Maria Rosas, like other Mexicans, is carrying on an ancient tradition that originated with the Aztecs. The altar decorating and other activities of El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) are based on the belief that at this time of year, the souls of the dead (including pets) can visit their relatives in the living world. Displays of candlelight, vibrant colors, lively music, fragrant flowers, spicy foods and cherished mementos guide souls to their specially prepared altar, where they can eat and visit their family.
The commemorative altars in the Dia de los Muertos exhibition have been adorned according to the regional customs of the participants. This year, nine new families – some from the Mexican states of Jalisco, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Yucatan, and Zacatecas – have prepared altars and provided remembrances about the family member being honored. (This information is printed in the museum’s bilingual “Guide to the Altars.”)
“Our goal is for people to learn the different customs of each region,” said Bertha Villaseñor, a Sonoma Valley artist and art instructor who served as guest curator for the show. “We wanted to create an exhibition that appeals to all tastes, with very complete content.”
The exhibit, which is open through Nov. 4, also features paintings and sculptures by local Latino artists as well as student artwork from Flowery Elementary School, Sonoma Charter School, El Verano Elementary School, Sonoma Valley High School and Sonoma Valley Adult School.
This year’s theme honors the “Coatlicue,” Aztec goddess of life, death and rebirth. In the Aztec mythology, Coatlicue (Nahuatl for “serpent skirt”) is the mother of gods and mortals, a symbol of the earth as both creator and destroyer. Her complex ornamentation, which includes snakes, hearts, hands, skulls, claws and corn, reflects the Aztec duality of life and death – the mortal cycle that humans must follow to reach spiritual immortality.
What began as a way for Latino families to share their traditions and culture has become a collaborative, community-wide, and highly popular event that attracts visitors from throughout the Bay Area.
Like last year, the traditional community altar will be located in the museum’s front La Haye Gallery, which opens onto the sidewalk, making it easy for exhibition visitors to leave tributes, small altars and other mementos that honor departed loved ones.
SVMA stages “Dia de los Muertos” each year in partnership with La Luz Center – a non-profit, cultural, educational, and community development center – and local Latino families.
A community reception on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. will include live music, food, and a skull-making workshop for children. Volunteers for this event are welcome. For more information or to volunteer, call the museum at 707-939-7862 or visit www.svma.org.
