Cemetery in San Agustin Etla

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated in Mexico and other countries with Latinx populations each November 1 - 2. The occasion is to remember loved ones who have passed on to the afterlife. Participants invite the dead to visit by creating altars with food and other offerings. Traditionally, they also gather at the cemetery (as in this scene from Oaxaca, Mexico) sharing songs, food and stories until the souls leave for the afterlife again.
Dia de los Muertos has origins in both Aztec tradition and the Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Today, celebrations take place across the U.S., and people of many backgrounds participate. Participants also use the celebration to show pride in their heritage, and sometimes to draw attention to current political and social issues.
Each artist included here has found inspiration in Day of the Dead, creating a unique interpretation of the tradition.