Following last year’s highly successful International Day of the Dead exhibit, Mexican artist/curator Ari De La Mora, entrepreneur Karina Eva and Granville Island Cultural Society’s Executive Director Barbara Chirinos have again curated an impressive international array of 20 Vancouver (and one Mexico City) artists to share their interpretations of death according to their unique culture, traditions and artistic style.
“These novel creations speak volumes about the ways that disparate cultural traditions mix in British Columbia to create new and powerful forms of expression” ~ Alexander Dawson, Director Professor of History, SFU
Presented by the Granville Island Cultural Society, the International Day of the Dead Tour and Exhibit on Granville Island is an innovative and exciting model of cultural collaboration taking place from October 24 to November 15 in window fronts of participating Granville Island businesses.
[Artwork by Jan Wade, Farahnaz Samari]
Using clay skulls created by a group of indigenous women artisans from the Popoloca culture of Mexico as their canvasses, artists will recreate their expressions of how they see and interpret death.
The International Day of the Dead Exhibition and Tour on Granville Island is a multicultural event that points to building bridges between communities, uniting cultures and connecting the hearts of people within Mexico and Canada.
Select artists in this year’s free exhibit include Olga Rivalko (Ukraine), Korey Matthews (Canada), Jace Junggyo (South Korea), Farahnaz Zamari (Iran), Osvaldo Ramirez (El Salvador), Jan Wade (Canada), Pepe Hidalgo (Spain), Jorge Manjarrez (Mexico), Richard Kent (Mexico) and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun (Coast Salish and Okanagan descent).
This exhibition and tour is made possible through the cooperation and support of Granville Island Business and Community Association, the Granville Island Cultural Society, participating indigenous artisans from the Popoloca culture of Mexico, the Consulate General of Mexico, SFU School for International Studies and Latin American Studies and UBC Latin American Studies.
Top image: artwork by Olga Rybalko, Ukraine. Photos by Pablo Pieraccini.