It’s Nov. 2, the Day of the Dead (aka All Souls Day), and if you’re in central Indiana, your plans should involve a trip to the Indianapolis Art Center to check out Behind the Mask, a Day of the Dead-inspired altar exhibit by artist Salvador Jimènez. I recently interviewed Jimènez for NUVO, and he told me about the exhaustive research he conducted in creating his exhibit, which honors specific individuals who died while attempting to immigrate to the United States.
Sketch by Salvador Jimènez honoring Reymundo Barreda, Jr.
One of those honored is Reymundo Barreda, Jr., a teenager who, along with his father, died while seeking to emigrate from Mexico. Jimènez, a Chicago-based artist, deflected questions about what caused the boy’s death; instead, in keeping with the spirit of the Day of the Dead, he focused on the boy’s life and passions. The sketch shown here was shared with me by Jimènez, and in it he emphasizes Reymundo’s youth and his love of soccer.
If you can’t make it to the Indianapolis Art Center today, no worries. The altar exhibit continues through Nov. 27.