San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Their creations have the most meaning of all possible legacies
I didn’t know the Chineseborn Oakland artist Hung Liu personally, but her death on Aug. 7 came as a shock to me, as it did to much of the Bay Area art world. I spoke to her briefly at the opening celebration of her exhibition “Hung Liu: Golden Gate” at the de Young Museum on July 14, and I would never have guessed that pancreatic cancer would take this gracious, eloquent woman a few weeks later.
After Liu’s death, her de Young exhibition became a place where I would stop and pay my respects to her. I can’t see the exhibition’s 28-foot-tall focal work, “Resident Alien II,” without saying a prayer of thanks for the paintings and vital discussions about immigrant identity she contributed. As much as I resented the timing of her death taking away the triumph of “Hung Liu: Portraits of Promised Lands,” her exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. — the first solo show by an Asian American woman at the museum — I am grateful that the free de Young show is here now and a place where people can remember her.
I was raised in an Italian Catholic household, and sometimes in my family, the physical things people leave behind after death — heirlooms, sentimental even everyday items — would take on added meaning and significance. We can be a superstitious people in this respect (“Don’t touch Nonnie’s good china!”), but we’re also deeply sentimental in a positive way. Holding onto these items is a way we keep the people we lose alive — even if it’s only on the special occasions when Nonnie’s dishes come out of the hutch.
No items are as heavily endowed as the work of an artist. While in their lifetimes a painting, sculpture or photograph may represent an idea or a moment the artist is trying to capture, in death they become a legacy. In the aftermath of an artist’s passing, their work becomes a kind of altar to their memory not dissimilar to the ones that people make in celebration of Día de los Muertos.
That’s why my initial reaction when we lose an artist is to seek out their work.
In a year that has seen so many local losses — sculptor and UC Davis Professor Manuel Neri, photographer Robert Altman, conceptual photographer Lew Thomas, gallerist Marsha Garland, Bay Area Funk art movement founder William T. Wiley, artist and Spatsa Gallery founder
Dimitri Grachis — I’ve had too many opportunities for these visitations.
Seeing their work does not take away the pain of loss. But sometimes a painting, sculpture or photograph can be the altar we need the most in our grief.
Among the most celebratory, colorful and festive days of the year, Dia de los Muertos has become a favorite holiday for many families around the Bay Area. Often associated with San Francisco’s Mission District and Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, this Latino tradition of honoring deceased ancestors, and welcoming them back into our lives as memories, has deep roots.
Revel in creating an inside your living room, decorating your work space with sugar skulls or attending a parade. Here’s what you need to know about the traditional Mexican celebration:
What is Dia de los Muertos?
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a twoday celebration in which the living symbolically honor deceased family members, friends or icons with various acts, traditions and Though it originated in Mexico, the holiday is now commonly celebrated worldwide, especially throughout Latin America.
The holiday traditionally happens in three respective progressions: Dia de los Angelitos (Spirits of the Children), Dia de los Difuntos (Spirits of the Adults) and Dia de los Muertos (Spirits of all the Dead). During these windows of time, it is believed that the spirits of the deceased are reunited with their living visitors and celebrations commence.
The festive spirit of Dia de los Muertos was famously showcased in the 2017 Pixar film “Coco,” which narrates the journey of a young Mexican boy navigating a playfully animated underworld in search of his grandfather. When is Dia de los Muertos? This holiday is traditionally observed on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 throughout Latin America. A week of activities usually leads up to these culminating days.
What traditions are associated with the holiday?
The most common traditions include painting sugar skulls, creating giving tokens of remembrance, drinking and eating, and displaying photos of the deceased loved ones. The holiday is celebrated in a variety of ways depending on the region. In Oaxaca, Mexico, a week of street parades leads up to Nov. 2, featuring flamboyantly costumed groups who ride in floats, play music, crack whips, set off fireworks and pass out candy and mezcal to onlookers. In the evening, the groups march to local cemeteries and congregate publicly with families, who visit the graves of lost loved ones to create their and eat street foods like tlayudas (giant, open-faced tortillas topped with various ingredients, similar to a “Mexican pizza”) and esquites (steamed corn kernels, Tapatío, lime and sour cream mixed in a warm cup).
What are some Bay Area-specific traditions related to Dia de los
Muertos?
Though there are no distinct Bay Area traditions related to Day of the Dead, regional celebrations associated with the holiday occur yearly in Oakland’s Fruitvale and San Francisco’s Mission District — where large populations of Mexicans and Central Americans have historically resided.
These celebrations include parades, music, face painting, Indigenous cultural dances, street foods, local merchants and of course,
Though many events and celebrations were canceled last year due to COVID, 2021 will feature the return of more outdoor and indoor events, from sugar-skull-making classes to an “avenue of altars.” Virtual events and activities are also available throughout October.
What are
ofrendas? Ofrendas are temporary altars created to honor loved ones who have died. The offerings include flowers, bottles of alcohol, money or miscellaneous objects, and forms of cultural currency.
The altars — which range in size and extravagance —are usually showcased inside homes, at grave sites or other public spaces.
How is Dia de los Muertos different from Halloween?
This Mexican holiday’s proximity and likeness to Halloween in the U.S. often draws comparisons between the two. However, the events are quite different and originated in different parts of the world.
Halloween is derived from an ancient Celtic tradition, known as Samhain, when communities would light large bonfires to chase away evil spirits. This eventually evolved into the modern celebration of costume wearing, trick-or-treating and pumpkin carving that happens every Oct. 31.
Although the two holidays differ, they overlap in their concern with spiritual afterlife occurring every fall.
Bay Area celebrations
“Departera: The Road to the Afterlife”:
Enjoy an on-demand recording of “Departera: The Road to the Afterlife” at the iconic Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater in San Jose. The play is written by Evelina Fernández of Teatro Visión, with original musical accompaniment by Russell Rodríguez. Inspired by real stories gathered from the greater Bay Area community here, “Departera” is a witty, modern take on Dia de los Muertos featuring inspiring music, touching stories and diverse characters.
Oakland Museum of California’s Dia de los Muertos programming:
In collaboration with OMCA’s El Dia de los Muertos Volunteer Community Committee, this pivotal Oakland institution plans to host an in-person
exhibit, hands-on activities and instructional videos. Among the events, hop online to access interviews with Latino community members and
OMCA curators, as well as a
instructional video. The entire curriculum is available in English and Spanish. A culminating online performance for young children will be available to watch on demand through June.
Oakland Dia de los Muertos festival:
Oakland’s International Boulevard is set to come alive for the 26th anniversary of the city’s Dia de los Muertos celebration. The free outdoor festival brings more than 100,000 people to the vibrant, culturally rich Fruitvale neighborhood to enjoy live music; familyfriendly games, rides and activities; traditional Latin American artisans; and altar artistic installations created by community members paying homage to los Muertos.
COVID-19 vaccines and “ask a doctor” booths will be included in this year’s offerings. There will also be a lowrider showcase, Aztec dances, community resources and “healing activities.” The events are BART- accessible and located at or near the Fruitvale BART Station. Join in on one of the most iconic ways to celebrate Day of the Dead in Northern California.
Dia de los Muertos at Sonoma Community Center:
The Sonoma Community Center’s Dia de los Muertos programming offers a diverse range of in-person classes. From ceramic making (the Zapotec spiritual animals that are meant to guide our souls into the afterlife) to Aztec dance classes, workshops will be provided for Bay Area residents.
There will also be a gallery of related artwork, as well as a free public altar lighting ceremony the evening of Monday, Nov. 1. Come for the paint, stay for the skulls.
Museum of Sonoma County’s Dia de los Muertos:
Experience artwork and altars created by local artists, students and collectors. Featured artists include Cecilia Diaz Cortez, Tracy Ferron, Nathan Gomez, Rubén Guzmán, Alejandro Salazar, the Urena family and students from Luther Burbank Elementary School in Santa Rosa.
Other activities and events throughout the month will include Community Art Days, which will feature the creation of community altars.