Exhibition comparing the curation of a collection to assembling an ofrenda, featuring works by José Guadalupe Posada and contemporary artists.
Mexic-Arte Museum is hosting Día de los Muertos - Celebrando Juntos: Coleccionando Memorias, an exhibition that runs through January 3 at its downtown location, 419 Congress. The show centers on Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, and works by José Guadalupe Posada alongside contemporary artists. It’s part of the museum's annual tradition around the holiday, which usually includes community altars and a street parade.
The exhibition is built around a specific comparison: the way a museum curates a collection and the way a family puts together an ofrenda, the altar built for the dead. The museum describes the ofrenda as a space where candles, photographs, and the favorite foods of deceased loved ones keep their memory alive. In that same vein, the curation here is presented as a way of preserving the stories of entire communities. The works on display explore the memories held within the collective artistic heritage of both the United States and Mexico.
To get a sense of the place, it helps to know what Mexic-Arte does. Founded in 1984, it's one of the few museums in the U.S. dedicated to Mexican and Chicano art. Its 20,000-square-foot space at the corner of Congress and Fifth has two galleries that rotate regularly. The Día de los Muertos show is one of its annual fixtures, sitting alongside other recurring programs like the Young Latino Artists exhibition and the prints from the Serie Project. The museum also works with institutions in Mexico to bring over cultural pieces that rarely leave the country.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Austin and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Celebrando Juntos: Coleccionando Memorias stays open through January 3 at 419 Congress, in downtown Austin.
