‘Dia de los Muertos’ – Day of the Dead
Brighton Photo Fringe Exhibition 2012
Friese-Greene Gallery, Brighton Media Centre, 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton, BN1 1AC
Exhibition description:
The exhibition title refers to a cultural phenomenon that occurs throughout Mexico and the Southwest states of North America – the celebration of the deceased. It is also celebrated with the Catholic holidays of All Saint’s Day and All Souls’ Day. The state of Arizona has a large Mexican population and the Day of the Dead phenomenon is tightly woven into the rich cultural life of the state. This recent body of work was created during a three-month period living in Arizona. The images in the work represent a personal visual interpretation of historical, social, political and cultural elements of the region. They form part of a journal of landscapes, people and the environment of towns and cities. The subjects depicted include cultural events such as the US/Mexican border, the high desert landscape, Native American Reservations, gun culture, the Barrio Viejo district in Tucson and the ‘Dia de los Muertos’ phenomenon.