Calavera - Radigan 2013

Calavera – Radigan 2013

Opening November 1

Instituto Cervantes

Radigan will be featured artist at upcoming Dia de Los Muertos show presented by the National Hispanic Cultural Cented and Insituto Cervantes.

 

Origins

Detail of an ofrenda at ITESM CCM depicting an Aztec making an offering to the dead

Development of giant skull for Day of the Dead celebration at the National Museum of Popular Culture, Coyoacan, Mexico City

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to a precolumbian past. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years.

[3] In the pre-Hispanic era skulls were commonly kept as trophies and displayed during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth.

The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the goddess[4] known as the “Lady of the Dead”, corresponding to the modern Catrina.

In most regions of Mexico November 1 is to honor children and infants, whereas deceased adults are honored on November 2. This is indicated by generally referring to November 1 mainly as Día de los Inocentes (“Day of the Innocents”) but also as Día de los Angelitos (“Day of the Little Angels”) and November 2 as Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (“Day of the Dead”).[5]