Filed under: Art, Phoenix | Tags: Art, Downtown Phoenix, Holidays, Lalo Cota, Murals, Phoenix
I love Day of the Dead art, the calaveras (skulls) associated with the primarily Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos. Some people (non-Mexicans) find it creepy, depressing, or just strange but, like the holiday, that is not the intention. The holiday occurs on November 2, in conjunction with the Catholic observances of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2). It is a day to remember friends and family who have died but it is a time of celebration, where partying is common.
Phoenix has a large Mexican-American population so celebrations of this holiday are common here and, more and more, so are displays of the art, year-round. The above mural is in the downtown Phoenix arts district which covers a fairly large area. It is by Lalo Cota, a Phoenix artist born in Mexico.
Several blocks away, on Roosevelt Row, which is probably the best-known area of the arts district is this new mural, on the side of Carly’s Bistro. Lalo painted this one with his collaborators, Pablo Luna and Thomas Marcus (aka Breeze).
I think these are very fun murals. About 2 blocks down the street, still on Roosevelt Row, in an alley next to and behind several galleries and shops, there are more Lalo Cota murals.
The sun was shining so brightly during this late afternoon that there is a glow-glare on the mural but maybe that is appropriate.
There is another Lalo Cota mural very close to these but it was extremely hot that afternoon so I decided to leave it for another day…and another post.
Do you like this sort of art or, like Tony, does it remind you of the Grateful Dead?
10 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Great photos! You find the most interesting stuff! The artwork on those is really very good too.
Comment by montucky August 21, 2010 @ 9:51 pmA fine set of mural shots. It’s an interesting celebration. Once while I was teaching in Mexico, I saw a decorated cemetery where people were camping out overnight to be near their loved ones.
Comment by don August 22, 2010 @ 7:46 amDefinitely art…. the murals, and the Grateful Dead covers too
Comment by Unilove August 22, 2010 @ 8:45 pmLove.
I am always amused how death is looked upon by different cultures…I think I like this one the best…
Comment by camilla August 23, 2010 @ 1:10 pmThey look like they are having a great time….and I love the very “appropriate” glow/glare.
Very nice Candace.
I love these! So colorful and cartoon like. Great shots!
Comment by Terry H. August 24, 2010 @ 3:18 pmThese murals are beautiful – I love this style of Mexican art.
It was a pleasure meeting you last night! Wonderful to put a face to a name
Comment by Kara August 25, 2010 @ 9:05 am[...] Calaveras [...]
Pingback by More of Roosevelt Row « Glenrosa Journeys August 29, 2010 @ 1:56 pm[...] Calaveras [...]
Pingback by Concentration « Glenrosa Journeys September 15, 2010 @ 6:03 pm[...] It was completed in 2007 and the artist is Pablo Luna who I have mentioned in a previous post as a collaborator with Lalo Cota on some Calaveras murals. [...]
Pingback by 2 Blocks « Glenrosa Journeys January 25, 2011 @ 10:36 pm[...] it was done by Lalo Cota since it features his unmistakable calaveras which I have blogged about before. Here’s a collage I did last year featuring several of them, scattered about the downtown [...]
Pingback by Mas Calaveras « Glenrosa Journeys September 13, 2011 @ 7:56 pm