I began this blog in 2013 as a way to share my love for the Day of the Dead. Along the way, I have looked at the endless calacas and calaveras that fill the pop culture representation of this tradition. Unfortunately, I think that the enthusiasm for painting a decorated skull on every object imaginable has caused most to move into the realm of appropriation instead of appreciation.
To counter this cultural dilution, I am commiting my blog and my art back to the original mission of this inspiring holiday. This is not to say that there is not a place for the decorative skull merchandise; I just think those items should be infused with an opportunity to understand the intention they are heretitarily linked to.
The symbol is already popularized; it’s time to remarry the meaning to it. An excellent place to begin to understand what the origin of the sugar skull iconography is can be found in this short documentary.
