Día de Muertos events return to Eiteljorg Museum

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Eiteljorg Museum hopes to captivate visitors with its annual Día de Muertos Community Art and Altar exhibit.

The community altar at the Eiteljorg invites visitors to engage with the holiday by adding remembrances for departed loved ones.

Eduardo Luna, the founder of Arte Mexicano en Indiana, said of the observance, “It’s a time to remember our loved ones. We put an altar at our house because we want to welcome them with something they liked when they were alive.”

The Eiteljorg’s array of community-created altars opened Monday. The public exhibit is free.

“This year, since it is our 10th anniversary, we wanted to make it more memorable. We invited an artist from Tehuana, Luis Fitch, who lives in Minneapolis and designed the Day of the Dead post office stamp,” Luna said.

Visitors are being encouraged to explore each altar’s offerings of rich symbolism and cultural significance. Alisa Nord Holt-Dean, vice president for public programs and Beeler Family director of education at the downtown Indianapolis museum, said, “The experience of just walking into the space is so unique and humbling. It just really puts you at ease when you come in. It’s a great space to contemplate.”

The museum’s Día de Muertos celebration will be a vibrant festival from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 26. It will feature a performance by an all-women mariachi band, Mariachi Sirenas, and a lively Catrina Parade.

Holt-Dean said, “We attracted over 5,000 people last year and hope to break those numbers this year. I don’t know how to describe that community celebration experience adequately. It is so exciting to be a part of. You have to be there to experience it!”

The Eiteljorg aims to educate, inspire and unite people to celebrate life, death, and the enduring bonds that transcend the physical world. “I will reiterate that this space — our Community Art and Altar exhibition and the Día de Muertos Community celebration — is all driven by the community. The Eiteljorg can’t take credit for this alone,” Holt-Dean said.

From 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Arte Mexicano en Indianapolis will present “AHORA!” a vibrant fusion of Mexican and Latina/o/e/x and design at the Eiteljorg. People with a paid museum admission can view the art exhibit.

Visitors on Sunday can engage with artists, explore a pop-up gallery of Latino arts, and attend artist’s talks from noon-3 p.m.

Fitch, an internationally renowned Mexican artist and creative entrepreneur, will attend. He’s known for his fine art in urban art settings, including screen prints, stencils, murals, and a Día De Muertos stamp set commissioned by the United States Postal Service.