La Calavera Catrina at Tucson Botanical Gardens

 

You know how much I like bold color. Well, last weekend I went to the Tucson Botanical Gardens thinking I would enjoy a leisurely stroll among the lush plants, which I did, but I was also wowed by giant brightly colored sculptures in La Calavera Catrina exhibit. 

The eight- to nine-foot-tall statues, by Mexican-born, Los Angeles-based artist Ricardo Soltero, portray Dia de los Muertos's most recognizable figures, large joyful skeletons born out of social satire depicting the upper classes in Mexico.

The exhibit was organized by the Denver Botanic Gardens. This is the first time it has been shown outside of Denver and it is a real treat for those of us in Tucson. I'm just showing a few of the sculptures -- go in person if you have the chance! It runs through Nov. 29, 2020.

Signs explain the meaning behind each figure. For example, the one above is covered with Monarch butterflies. Butterflies represent change and transformation in Mexican culture. The Monarchs migrate south to Mexico during the fall around the Day of the Dead celebration and symbolize the return of the souls of the dead for the joyful holiday.

This lady holding a basket of marigolds is La Vendedora de Flores. The Mexican marigold is one of the distinctive elements of the Day of the Dead. Its color evokes the sun, which in Aztec tradition guided the souls of those who had passed on. The petals were used to form a path for the spirits of deceased loved ones to follow from their altar to the door of what had been their home in life.

About the artist: Ricardo Soltero (born 1962) is the set designer for the largest Dia de los Muertos celebration in the United States, which takes place every year at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. He is a sculptor and costume designer (no surprise there), who uses materials including fabric, fiberglass, papier-mache, wood, and recycled items.

Have a colorful day