Longmont celebrates Dia de los Muertos!
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to celebrate our deceased loved ones and keep their memories alive. Running since the year 2000, it’s the longest-standing Day of the Dead exhibition and celebration in Colorado and attracts more than 6,000 people annually. Community participation is an essential part of this holiday full of life, reflection, food, family, and fun.
CATRINA BALL AND CATRINA AUCTION:
BID ON A CATRINA
PURCHASE TICKETS
Firehouse Art Center’s Catrina Ball
Friday, October 28 7 p.m.- 10 p.m.;
$15 pre-purchase, $20 at the door
380 Main St., Longmont
PURCHASE TICKETS
Honor your loved ones with song, laughter, dancing and revelry in Downtown Longmont! We are transforming the space formerly known as Breakers Grill into a candle lit, flower-filled explosion of color. Come dressed as a Catrina or Catrin and compete in the Catrina Contest or get your face painted at the event and get ready to dance, dance, dance! Tickets at firehouseart.org/catrinaball.
Thank you to everyone who contributed a Catrina painting, and to everyone who bid. Your support makes our outreach art education and gallery art exhibits possible!
The name Catrina refers to the Calavera Catrina – a 1910–1913 zinc etching by the Mexican printmaker, cartoon illustrator and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada. She is offered as a satirical portrait of those Mexican natives who, Posada felt, were aspiring to adopt European aristocratic traditions in the pre-revolution era. La Catrina has become an icon of the Mexican Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Each year, local artists paint representaions of La Calavera Catrina to raise money for the Firehouse’s programs, exhibits and events.
Where do the proceeds for the Catrina Auction and Catrina Ball go?
The funds raised support free art education provided to marginalized communities. This year we are putting the funds towards continuing Art Attack. Due to unforseen administrative and insurance fees, we need to raise $1200 to keep this program going! Please visit our Art Attack page to learn more! Your ticket price and bids support art in your community and make Longmont a more creative and better place for us all!
Día de los Muertos Exhibition
CATRINAS ON PARADE (MAIN GALLERY) AND ESCUCHAME (SOUTH GALLERY) OPENS AT 11AM ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022
CATRINA AUCTION ONLINE
Oct. 8 – Nov. 6; free
Oct. 14- Opening Reception, Film Screening and Mexican Handcraft Workshops, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
667 4th Ave., Longmont
Hours: Wednesday–Sunday Noon–5 p.m.
The Firehouse hosts community-made Catrina paintings alongside work from emerging local artists celebrating American diversity in language and culture from a range of creative perspectives. Main Gallery: “Catrinas on Parade,” South Gallery: “Escúchame,” featuring Jamie Chihuan and Adriana Paola Palacios Luna.
The Firehouse Art Center invites local artists to create their representation of La Calavera Catrina. La Calavera Catrina is a zinc etching by the Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada. Originally a commentary on the Mexican natives who, Posada felt, were aspiring to adopt European aristocratic traditions. She has become an icon of the Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The Catrina exhibit will open on October 8th, during the Dia de los Muertos Festival, and will be on view until November 6, 2022. There will be select Catrinas hanging at the Longmont Public Library as well.
In our South Gallery, guests will be introduced to two emerging Latinx artists experimenting with different media from film to fiber. While the exhibit opens on October 8th, the reception will be held on October 14th from 6pm-9pm. It will be immersive, interactive and will cross many different mediums of presentation.
The South Gallery’s “Escuchame” explores complex issues like healing, feminism and identity. Featuring Jamie Chihuan and Adriana Paolo Palacios Luna, the exhibition includes painting, printmaking and fiber arts, the works connected by common threads of shared life experiences, and complex narratives layered by cross cultural experiences, memories, environmental commentary, spiritualism and symbolism. The exhibition’s goal is to highlight the message and passion of these two Latinx artists.
During the reception, Chihuan will screen his documentary film discussing issues of identity in the Latinx Artist Community when dealing with Dia de los Muertos. The film, titled “It’s based of day of the dead, right?”, deals with Jamie’s identity crisis in terms of his heritage and artistic expression. The film stars Latinx artists Ian Guerra, Kimberly Gutierrez, Cal Duran, Grace Gutierrez, and Val Ponce as well as Latinx Activists, Adrianna Abarca and Karen Orona. The film digs into the shared experiences of Latinx artists, and the struggle with identity and artistic expression.
Chihuan, born and raised in Longmont, by a Mexican mother and a Peruvian father, was always curious about the world. They did not plan on being an artist, and the road for them has been a windy one. Largely self taught, they have explored many different mediums. The symbols Chihuan uses are heavily influenced by Religious experiences, Psychedelic experiences, relationships, combined with myths of the past creating a surreal juxtaposition of images.
Our second South Gallery artist is Adriana Paolo from Puebla, Mexico. She has worked for more than 28 years on socio-environmental justice and social change projects. Her participatory research approach is centered on communication for social change, the Sociology of Culture, Gender equity, Human rights, Art, culture, and identity. As an artist, she is a poet, short story writer, storyteller, textile artist, and explorer in the Maker movement. Adriana will be hosting mini workshops on traditional Mexican art techniques during the exhibit reception. All workshops are hands on, from an intercultural approach, celebrating diversity, equity and creativity. They include slide presentations contextualizing the social and cultural background of each topic and a practical explanation of the making process.
DAY OF THE DEAD FAMILY CELEBRATION
Saturday, Oct. 8, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; free
Downtown Longmont at 4th Avenue and Main Street
Like last year, the Day of the Dead Family Celebration will open the season in Downtown Longmont. This street festival will include music and dance performances, art and craft activities, cultural education, delicious food, downtown business altars, and the Firehouse Art Center’s Gigantes Procession. Park downtown or take the free shuttle from the Longmont Museum to enjoy all the activities of the day, including the exhibition of community altars at the Museum.
Marking its 22nd anniversary this year, Longmont’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration is the longest standing in the state of Colorado. The exhibition at the Longmont Museum and family celebration in Downtown Longmont alone attract more than 6,000 people from across the region each year. Día de los Muertos in Longmont has expanded to a City-wide event. The Longmont Museum partners with dozens of individuals and community organizations with cultural expertise to create an experience for Día de los Muertos that is rooted in respect and authenticity.
In many parts of Mexico, Guatemala and the United States, el Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. Community participation is essential to this holiday that is full of life, reflection, food, family and fun. The celebration demonstrates how a diverse community can come together to share a common desire – to honor our ancestors and keep their memories alive.
