By Lilia Menconi
Awww...this little symbol of death is just too cute.
Hey, guess what? You're going to die.
Oh, don't worry, I'll die too. And so will everyone else.
Sure, this concept is nothing new. But it's easily forgotten. We buzz around everyday - working, eating, joking around with friends, getting stressed out about, well, everything - it all seems so important as we live it. But, really, it's only a matter of time before all of our piddly shit just evaporates and becomes totally insignificant.
Unless you're one of the lucky few who achieves relevancy through fame. But, man, that's a lot of work.
Expect to see beautiful works like this at Vision Gallery.
Better to leave it to our loved ones to carry on our name. Sure, we don't want them to be sad, but it's always nice to think about receiving some postmortem credit for trudging through this life. And who hasn't sickened themselves with a self-indulgent fantasy about their own funeral?
Well, we all owe it to those who have passed on to give them that satisfaction. But not just once - I think their ghost egos deserve an annual boost. And a Dia de los Muertos celebration is perfect for this kind of thing.
The Mexican holiday can be traced back to the region's ancient indigenous peoples whose civilizations celebrated the deaths of ancestors, made offerings to Gods and Goddesses of the dead and even kept human skulls for their rituals.
Now, the annual holiday involves parades, artistic altars, sugar skulls and decorated grave sites to not only remember those who have passed, but to make them feel welcome if they choose to make a visit.
For the past weeks, Vision Gallery in Chandler has showcased altars and artworks by 20 artists honoring the dead. Tomorrow is the last day you can catch this exhibition and it's closing coincides with the Dia de los Muertos Celebration and Festival featuring live entertainment, art workshops and gallery tours on Saturday, November 1st from 1-9 p.m.
Vision Gallery, 80 S San Marcos Place in Chandler, 480-917-6859 www.visiongallery.org.
