Sugar Skull Art Walk: Honoring Our Ancestors
The Sugar Skull Art Walk is a community project that engages local artist-designers in creating Day of the Dead “ofrendas” on Main Street. The goal of this project is to help unify communities through art, music, and the shared human experience of loss. The ofrendas are on view in Switchboard Gallery from October 15 to November 4, 2023.
This year Center Street and Switchboard Galleries will be host to fifteen ofrendas created to educate, engage, and foster compassion among our broader communities. Ofrenda information will be available as a self-guided tour in both Spanish and English.
Opening Reception was Thursday, October 19, from 6 – 8 pm
What are “ofrendas?”
Building Ofrendas, or “offerings,” is a tradition with roots that date back thousands of years in Mexico and the Americas Ofrendas are dedicated to loved-ones who have passed away. They are often built on tables, and traditionally feature marigold flowers, photos of the person being honored, foods that person enjoyed during their lifetime, and lights. Ofrendas are built in people’s homes in the last days of October to be ready for the Days of the Dead (November 1st and 2nd). Sometimes ofrendas address community issues and are publicly displayed.
In Sugar Skull Art Walk’s project, handmade sugar skulls are a key unifying element on all community ofrendas.
