Day of the Dead
Our final blog assignment for this course was to construct and photograph a Day of the Dead shrine and say something about the experience.
We have a rather deep window sill on the landing of our stairs that serves as our home altar so I decided it was appropriate to use that space to honor my cousin, Jane, who died twenty years ago.
The bas relief is The Good Shepherd. There is also a tiny bas relief of a butterfly or moth that I used to signify the soul and resurrection. The silk leaves resemble the real ones in the trees beyond and are there because she died in November. Tucked in with the leaves are artist's brushes because she was an artist. She was also an anthropologist. The small book and the small, velvet bag belonged to her and contain things that were passed along to me. Also tucked inside are bits of memorabilia, like a recent invitation to her son's wedding. I chose that candleholder because she liked Art Nouveau. The chalice recalls the last time we shared a bottle of wine in my kitchen. That Egyptian-style illustration is of a scene from the Book of the Dead, in which the soul is weighed against Ma'at (Truth). It's there because Jane was the one that got me interested in archaeology - especially Egyptology - when we were kids.
Hallowe'en is a big deal in our household (although it pales in comparison to my sister-in-law's celebration!) My husband and I decorate the front of our house differently each year and we take turns planning the theme and presentation. In our neighborhood, adults go out in costume with their children and it becomes a kind of neighborhood-wide block party.
Inside our home, preparations are a lot simpler. I clean the house and put lights in the windows to make our home look welcoming. The table beside the front door is decorated and that is where we put the candy bowl. The idea behind these preparations is to extend hospitality to any wandering spirits that choose to visit. We usually eat while we wait for the doorbell to ring - light party snacks and such - and I think that reinforces the feeling that we are extending hospitality. Afterwards, my husband and I often go out for a late supper at a neighborhood restaurant where the staff is also very much in a holiday mood.
On the Day of the Dead, we often return to the same restaurant because the owner (who is from Arizona) and her staff set up a common altar at one end of the bar. It's always very festive and I find it sweet and touching that they share that with all of us.
In doing this exercise, it was easy to see that I don't really need a special day or altar to remember my cousin. There are reminders of her throughout my studio - even my writing desk was once hers. The fact is that our loved ones are always with us. We carry them in our hearts. They are part of us and help to make us who we are. The Day of the Dead is one way of celebrating that deep connection.
We have a rather deep window sill on the landing of our stairs that serves as our home altar so I decided it was appropriate to use that space to honor my cousin, Jane, who died twenty years ago.
The bas relief is The Good Shepherd. There is also a tiny bas relief of a butterfly or moth that I used to signify the soul and resurrection. The silk leaves resemble the real ones in the trees beyond and are there because she died in November. Tucked in with the leaves are artist's brushes because she was an artist. She was also an anthropologist. The small book and the small, velvet bag belonged to her and contain things that were passed along to me. Also tucked inside are bits of memorabilia, like a recent invitation to her son's wedding. I chose that candleholder because she liked Art Nouveau. The chalice recalls the last time we shared a bottle of wine in my kitchen. That Egyptian-style illustration is of a scene from the Book of the Dead, in which the soul is weighed against Ma'at (Truth). It's there because Jane was the one that got me interested in archaeology - especially Egyptology - when we were kids.
Hallowe'en is a big deal in our household (although it pales in comparison to my sister-in-law's celebration!) My husband and I decorate the front of our house differently each year and we take turns planning the theme and presentation. In our neighborhood, adults go out in costume with their children and it becomes a kind of neighborhood-wide block party.
Inside our home, preparations are a lot simpler. I clean the house and put lights in the windows to make our home look welcoming. The table beside the front door is decorated and that is where we put the candy bowl. The idea behind these preparations is to extend hospitality to any wandering spirits that choose to visit. We usually eat while we wait for the doorbell to ring - light party snacks and such - and I think that reinforces the feeling that we are extending hospitality. Afterwards, my husband and I often go out for a late supper at a neighborhood restaurant where the staff is also very much in a holiday mood.
On the Day of the Dead, we often return to the same restaurant because the owner (who is from Arizona) and her staff set up a common altar at one end of the bar. It's always very festive and I find it sweet and touching that they share that with all of us.
In doing this exercise, it was easy to see that I don't really need a special day or altar to remember my cousin. There are reminders of her throughout my studio - even my writing desk was once hers. The fact is that our loved ones are always with us. We carry them in our hearts. They are part of us and help to make us who we are. The Day of the Dead is one way of celebrating that deep connection.
posted by cafegirl | 2:11 PM
2 Comments:
Your altar is simple & elegant, really lovely...
Very artistic and you made the assignment your very own.
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