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What would October in Sacramento be without Día de los Muertos? The Mexican holiday remembering friends and relatives who have died is a colorful family tradition that has grown in popularity over the last few years—both locally and internationally. With art exhibitions, workshops and a two-day special display called Panteon de Sacramento—or “Sacramento’s cemetery”—La Raza Galería Posada is the source of all things muerto.
The Latino art and cultural gallery located at 1022 22nd Street will house exhibitions of ofrendas. These offerings would traditionally adorn graves on Día de los Muertos. From October 7 to November 12, an exhibition called To Dance Beyond the Grave features ofrendas tributing iconic artists like Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Victor Jara.
The gallery will also host hands-on art workshops throughout the month. Learn to make sugar skulls, one of the traditional ornaments found on an ofrenda, on October 15 and 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Paper marigolds called cempazuchitl, or “flower of the dead,” are the subject of another workshop on October 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Workshops are $10 each, and reservations are required.
In Panteon de Sacramento, on display on October 29 and 30, the parking lot behind KlickNation (located at 1015 20th Street) will be transformed into a cemetery, replete with large colorful altars. The 12-by-6-foot altars will be created by local artists, families and nonprofits, and will feature sugar skulls, cempazuchitl, papel picado (perforated paper), candles, photos of the deceased, and more. For more information on all these events, call (916) 446-5133, or visit www.larazagaleriaposada.org.