By: Luis Arjona Photo by: Jason Page from 2019 article Honoring The Dead With Marigolds by Vianney Rodriguez
We are knee-deep into October, and the weather is beginning to come to terms with that. Nonetheless, no matter how hot, the Coastal Bend knows how to celebrate around this time of year. Dia De Los Muertos is a Mexican holiday, which we are lucky enough to participate in due to our proximity (both culturally and geographically) to our wonderful southern neighbors. Honoring the dead and paying respects to family, friends, and loved ones, Dia De Los Muertos is a poignant holiday with a rich history. Both a solemn and joyous time, the holiday is filled with color, tradition, pageantry, and whimsy despite the sobering acknowledgment of life’s only certainty (sorry).
Since 2008, the Dia De Los Muertos Festival has brought life, music, and culture into the downtown community. As one of Corpus Christi’s largest and most popular events, it has received national recognition. Our local Dia De Los Muertos Celebration was also voted Best Festival in The Bend Magazine’s Locals List 2016-2019 (plugging ourselves, but it is what it is – a damn good time). While things will look a little different this year, the festival’s goals remain the same. Celebrating and honoring Mexico and South Texas’ rich cultural heritage, this festival aims to unite in community and promote our city.
This year, to continue our city’s annual celebration, K Space Contemporary and Axis Tattoo are conducting a safer festival. Deviating a bit from the traditional street festival, this year has some changes to provide a safer experience.
From October 1st through November 13th, limited physical exhibitions will be presented at K Space Contemporary Gallery and La Palmera Mall. The physical exhibits will be paired with a week of virtual premiers of festival programming to be enjoyed online. In addition to the beautiful installations, the festival will also offer a plethora of activities. Hosting several events such as professional and youth art exhibitions, a K-12 piñata contest, a walking tour of altars and Dia De Los Muertos decorations in Downtown Corpus Christi, and a community altar at K Space Contemporary where the public may leave photos and messages to departed loved ones. An immersive exhibition featuring a life-size tribute to Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada will also be on display at La Palmera Mall. Other virtual events include an educational Dia De Los Muertos Art Challenge on Instagram (beginning October 1st) with art-making prompts and live lessons, an online shopping event, and a virtual altar exhibition. All exhibitions will be available online.
We are elated to see this creative pivot to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos safely while maintaining the annual traditions. If you are itching for more information, make sure to click on this link here to dig in on more info provided by our gracious organizers and hosts!
Virtual Events Premier Schedule by Date:
October 1 – November 2: Dia De Los Muertos Art Challenge @kspaceartlab (IG)
October 23: ¡Disfruta el Sabor! Savor the Flavor! Art Exhibition
October 26: Dia De Los Muertos en Corpus Christi (Youth Art Exhibition)
October 27: SHOP – webpage listing Arts & Crafts vendors’ online shops
October 28: Virtual Altar Exhibition
October 29: Dia De Los Muertos CC Through the Lens – photography by Debbie Noble
October 30 – November 6: Online voting for Extravagancia de Piñatas
Contact:
