Día de los Muertos: Catrina and Other Memorable Ladies

Reception with the Artists: Sunday, October 13, 2019 (5-7 PM). Exhibition on display through November 16, 2019

The Bath House Cultural Center presents the 33rd Annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) art exhibition, October 12-November 16, 2019. The exhibition features Day of the Dead visual art and altars in a variety of media created by local, national and international artists.

The works featured in the 2019 Día de los Muertos exhibition will be inspired by the Day of the Dead character, Catrina, and by the legacy of other prominent women.

Catrina has been an iconic symbol of the Day of the Dead celebration for many years. The character has been seen by people in many different ways throughout her interesting evolution. Catrina first came to life on an etching that was created around 1910 by printmaker José Guadalupe Posada, a highly prominent and respected artist from Mexico. Catrina, a genuine grande dame of death, is one of various comical illustrations of skeletons that were made famous by Posada. On his print, Catrina is depicted as a lavishly elegant woman who wears formal attire with much pride and exuberance.

Although Catrina is now perceived as a cheerful personification of the Day of the Dead, she was originally created as a piece of political satire that mocked people of Mexico who, in the beginning of the 20th century, showed an obsession with European materialism and style and disregarded their own indigenous culture. Catrina later became a symbol of the contrasts between the upper and lower classes of Mexico. In more modern times, however, we see Catrina as a beloved image of the Day of the Dead celebration that represents not only the gleeful nature of the festivity but also the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The artists featured in this show include Mirtha Aertker, Karen E. Aguilar, Michelle Akers, Roxanne M. Anderson, Barbara M. Armstrong, Brandin Barón, Jose G. Barriga, Amy Boltrushek, Melanie S. Campbell-Carter, Kathy Chambers, Vicki Charlotta, Rebecca Collins, Oscar Contreras, Lisa Crook, Raúl Cruz, Judy Culbertson, Enrique De Altamirano, Gail M. Delger, Kathleen B. Donovan, Katrina Doran, Dan and Lori Dudley, Brett L. Dyer, Jen Faits Mulder, Julie Flandorfer, Jacque Forsher, Pastor García, Karla G. Gaspar, Nick Glenn, Juan J. Hernández, Joan Hudson, Dawnie Jackson, Duane Johnson, Kristi Kay, Ruth A. Keitz, Mitzi King, Debra Kruse, Bonnie Lankford, Sandra Lara, Nancy CH Lawrence, Jocelyn V. Lechuga, Cindy Lemmon, Hector Loera, Laurence I. López, Linda López, Elizabeth Mahy, Kelsey M. McAfee, Cynthia McDonnell, Brenda McKinney, Patricia McMillan, Marcela Mihaloglou, Deb and Chuck Miller, Margo Miller, Michael R. Miller, Kelly B. Morris, Eva Peña, Kristen N. Penrod, Alejandra P. Ramos, Jane Robbins, Gail Roberts, Jennifer Rodriguez, María C. Ruenes, Evan Sartin, Diana Scott, Daniel P. Sellers, Pam J. Smith, Suzie Standridge, Wendy L. Tigchelaar, TRONJA, Joyce Ward, ME Wilcox, and Becky Winslow.

Enrique Fernández Cervantes curated this exhibition.

Official Site