USU Invites Community to Celebrate Day of the Dead With Art, Procession, Lecture

As October draws to a close and November begins, several events, exhibits and activities will mark Día de los Muertos at Utah State University.

According to Crescencio López González, Department Head of World Languages and Culture at USU, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a “celebration based on the belief that the departed souls continue to exist and return every year to visit family. This cultural tradition has been celebrated in Latin America for more than 2,500 years and is open to all cultures, all art forms and all people.”

During Día de los Muertos, ofrendas, or offering tables, are carefully set up and decorated so that between the first two days of November, souls of deceased family members are welcomed in the home.

These tables display traditional foods, flowers, candles, sentimental objects and symbols of health and prosperity. This celebration of life and death connects family members and allows many to grow closer with their loved ones.

Ofrenda at NEHMA

The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art is once again setting up a large ofrenda in the museum lobby, created by Professor Maria Luisa Spicer Escalante, who grew up celebrating the Día de los Muertos and making an ofrenda in her home.

On display from Oct. 22 through Nov. 4 will be calaveras (decorated skulls), photos, food, candles and marigold flowers to represent different kinds of ofrendas. Visitors are welcome to write names of lost loved ones on the ofrenda wall.

Art Exhibits

Also on view in NEHMA’s lobby is an exhibition of photographs by Professor JP Spicer-Escalante titled “Mixquic, Tradition and Postmodernity.”

These photos are part of the larger “In Search ofMéxico” project, a multi-year project that began in the village of Zacualpan de Amilpas, Morelos, in 2019.

“This endeavor is many things at the same time,” JP Spicer-Escalante said. “On an intellectual plane, it is my own quest as a lifelong Latin Americanist to fully comprehend Mexico’s age-old customs and rituals. On an aesthetic plane, it is a photographic expression that combines both documentary and Fine Art genres to capture theDía de los Muertosas an evolving tradition.”

On a personal level, JP Spicer-Escalante said, it is also a visual “love letter” to the Mexican people, who have welcomed him into their lives ever since his first extended stay in the country in 1985.

“In the end, that objective is, perhaps, the most compelling of the three,” he said.

While visiting the museum, check out the Artepaño: Chicano Prisoner Kerchief Art. All museum labels are provided in English and Spanish.

“We love our community and consider how we can make our museum welcoming to all through our exhibitions, collections, and all of the programs we offer,” said NEHMA Executive Director Katie Lee-Koven. “I hope these annual Day of the Dead displays and events, along with our exhibitions and programs throughout the year, remind our Hispanic community that NEHMA is your museum and we want you take advantage of what we have to offer.”

Public Lecture

Antonio Cruz Santos from the Latinx Cultural Center will deliver a Public Lecture about Día de los Muertos at NEHMA from noon to 1 p.m. Oct. 30.

A light lunch will be provided following. The talk and lunch are free and open to all.

“We are pleased to collaborate on hosting festivities celebrating el Día de los Muertos,” Cultural Center Director Shelly Ortiz said. “This is an opportunity for campus and community members to engage in a rich cultural celebration, while creating a space for understanding and appreciation of diverse traditions. We believe such shared experiences enrich our community and foster connections across different backgrounds.”

Día de los Muertos Procession on Campus

The culminating event is the dramatic and beautiful procession on the Day of the Dead, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1,with Mariachi Guzman and Monos de Calenda. Crescencio López González initiated a Day of the Dead celebration at USU years ago with the Latinx Cultural Society on campus, and each year it has grown.

The procession will begin at the new Mehdi Heravi Global Teaching and Learning Center on the south side of the USU Quad and will cross campus, stopping at the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art at 11:45 for hot chocolate from the Aggie Chocolate Factory and pan de muerto (bread). It will continue around campus, end at 1 p.m., and have more refreshments. The public is invited to participate.

“Everyone who attends is responsible for helping to create a safe, positive, celebratory, and respectful experience for themselves and everyone else,” González said. “Please inform yourself about Day of the Dead traditional attire.”

The procession's sponsors and organizers areLatinx Creative Society, Latinx Cultural Center, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, the Department of English, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Center for Intersectional Gender Studies and Research.

About NEHMA

The Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art at Utah State University fosters engagement with modern and contemporary art to facilitate learning and promote dialogue about ideas important to the people of Utah and the mission of Utah State University.

Admission is free and open to all. Parking is available in the free museum parking stalls and at the Gateway Terrace.

For more information, visit artmuseum.usu.edu or contact Katie Lee-Koven, katie.lee.koven@usu.edu.