Ibarria_Altares_Diego

The literal subject matter are still lifes of altars from Chicanos living in Los Angeles and altars placed on streets and botanicas. I first got introduced to shrines when I volunteer to build one for a Day of the Dead event in community college. While I was fascinated with the decoration of skulls and the colorful use of “Papel Picado” paper cut designs, I was more interested in understanding the cosmology and historical context of what Day of the Dead meant. My curiosity led me to learn how indigenous people during Spanish colonization hid their native beliefs underneath Christian practices and symbolism. The pictures lean towards a narrative approach and supports my intent to be depictive and communicate the symbolism visually. By working on narrative, there is a focus on description, which I want the viewer to see by the unique characteristics of each alters.

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