The doors of downtown’s McGuffey Art Center opened to a sea of color this November, with paper flag garlands strung from the ceiling, painted skeletal masks adorning the walls and marigolds galore decorating surfaces. Walking through the first floor halls, a web of displays interspersed with saved messages of memory from past years transformed the gallery with the festive spirit of the 13-day Día de los Muertos exhibition, carefully crafted in remembrance of loved ones now passed on.
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican celebration to honor the deceased and celebrate their lives with offerings, decorations, music, dancing and time spent with family. From Nov. 4 through 16, the exhibition — which celebrated its 14th anniversary this year — offered the public a glimpse into some aspects of this rich and vibrant tradition.
Organized by the Lua Project — a local Mexilachian y Appalachiano music group seeking to bridge cultures through music — the display was made possible by the contributions of Charlottesville’s Mexican and Latine community members, who reserve spaces to honor their loved ones and spend time adorning the halls with offerings…