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Join Self Help Graphics & Art at a special opening reception for its Dia de los Muertos exhibition, Deadly Stylish, curated by Diane Gamboa on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009 from 5-7 PM.
Day of the Dead holds and represents a long traditional history of remembering and celebrating the dead. As we close the first decade of our new millennium, we face new issues of life and death through our evaluations of technology and biological applications. Artistically, we are now combining these new millennial perspectives with traditional and non-traditional forms of expression—creating a Deadly Stylish extravaganza in our Self Help Graphics community. I thank all at SHG as well as the exhibiting artists: William J. Acedo; William Borges; Ofelia Esparza; Simone Gad; Angie Skull Garcia; Jessica Gudiel; Theresa Hernandez; Edgar Ibarra; Pola Lopez; Rigo Maldonado; Sandra Vista; Dawn Wirth; and Jaime "Germs" Zacarias.--Curator's Statement by Diane Gamboa.
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The "Day of the Dead Deadly Stylish" at the ELA Civic Center turned out to be a much need upgrade from the overcrowded events at Self Help Graphics & Art parking lot. Thank you to all who made this event happen, however, the experience still missed the true theme of the event and lacked a genuine connection to the everyday life of those who remember the days with those who passed. To begin the lack of knowledge on the history of the "Day of The Dead" that could have been somehow published on a cheap flier that described in short the connection of Aztec Mythology with skulls and culminating in Jose Guadalupe Posada's with works Calaveras and the Collection of his works at the University of Hawaii Library could have "helped" awaken those who still think this day is Mexican Halloween. The missing Aztec Dancers with the drums and Chachayotes and the obvious missing "Alters" by the lake would have made it that much more personal to those of us who lost a love one over the years. Instead we have to make do with an "Avant Grad" twist on this special night with bands like KILLSONIC. Catering to special acts that don't have anything but members who make noise in the name of “Art Expression” WAS A TURN OFF even for the dead. If I were dead I would like everyone to remember me and my dead friends with a traditional Mexican song or music that was played when we lived on earth with a dedication. How about some Ramon Ayala “Tragos de Amargo Liquor” for my neighbor Don Ynez to remind us of our drunk skeletons or Chavela Vargas “La Llorona” to remind my me of grandma, or even an old Disco song with a dedication to those who died but lived in the late 80’s, but NO instead we get a funny DJ who doesn’t even know what the dead listened to when we were alive.
Suggestions:
1.) Don’t need to be sponsored by “The Walt Disney Company” with its long conservative history of racism against Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Latinos, Blacks and Jews. Remember Disneyland’s financial support of former Governor Pete Wilson and Proposition 187 campaign in 1994 that targeted Illegal Immigrants (Never forget! But some still want us to.)
http://articles.latimes.com/1994-12-10/news/mn-7342_1_latino-community
2.) Altars for the dead at the park by the lake (Because one day we will “ALL” die and still need to be loved and remembered.)
3.) AZTEC DANCERS! NO EXPLAINING!
4.) Less “Avant Grad” Pissed Off Latino Rap music and more acts mixed with Rockabilly, Nortenya Bands, Tamborazo Zacatecano, Jarocho music from Veracruz… Even a knock-off Morrissey Tribute band would have worked.
5.) Keep Lalo Alcaraz as the MC. He did a great job and he is the only one with a real job!!!!!
6.) Invite the “Rat Rod” car clubs that parked their clean ranflas on Mednik to the show parking lot. 50’s Chicano Rockabilly’s, girls dressed nice in “Pin-up Style”, Rat Rods and Calaveras are what’s happening on the streets right now!!! No brainer!!!!
I’m just saying December 21, 2012.
-Todos Somos Chusma
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