Day of the Dead: Mexico’s most intimate tradition comes to Manhattan, New York

From Atlixco, Puebla, the Valley of the Catrinas is present in Times Square

For the second consecutive year, the Valley of the Catrinas, an event originating in Atlixco, Puebla, crosses international borders and adorns Times Square in Manhattan, New York, with two monumental examples representing typical characters from that state.

From October 28 to November 2 - the date on which the celebration of the Day of the Dead concludes in the Mexican tradition - you can see an Augustinian Nun, creator of the authentic Chiles en Nogada, five meters high, and a Cuetzalan flyer (traditional dancer) of 4.5 meters.

“For us Mexicans, it is very important to share the Day of the Dead, which is a celebration, a celebration of life where we once again have some kind of connection with our relatives and loved ones who have passed away… we are talking about one of the most intimate traditions of Mexicans in which our homes are filled with smells, flavors, memories, music, copal and incense,” says Delfo Jácome, director of Mi Casa es Puebla, in New York.

In a conversation with Heraldo USA, Jácome states that it is a way of sharing with the world this celebration in which one of the traditional elements is the catrina.

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The structures presented this year are made of iron and covered with a cardboard technique that hardens when dry and is then painted by different local artists who respond to participate through a call for entries.

The works selected to be present in New York are “La Monja” by artist Hayde Andrews and “El Volador” by artist Karina Pérez Montalvo.

In 2023, the characters were “El Charro Negro” and “El Diablito de San Miguel”, also typical characters from Atlixco.

“This event represents a very important opportunity to continue pushing for our Puebla artists to exhibit in important venues such as a place as busy as New York.”

Today, thanks to the support of authorities from both Puebla and New York, artists and organizations such as Fuerza Migrante to whom they express their gratitude, “Day of the Dead in Times Square is a reality,” highlights Delfo Jácome.

We are very interested in telling the world how we are, he concludes.

The Valley of Catrinas emerged four years ago in Puebla.

La Catrina is a character created by the Mexican painter, illustrator and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada. Initially, it was a form of satire for those who wanted to change their status. Currently, it is the figure most associated with the Day of the Dead and death in general in Mexico.

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