Day of the Dead Offerings in Montreal
Siete/media has been an active collaborator with various organizations since 2016, inlcuding the Mexican Cultural Institute in Montreal and. the Consulate General of Mexico in Montreal, to design and co-produce the setup and event of the highly popular Day of the Dead ofrenda in Montreal. This collaboration aims to not only create an engaging and culturally significant experience but also raise awareness and appreciation for the rich cultural meaning behind the Day of the Dead tradition.
In 2016 the ofrenda was installed at McGill University's Redpath Museum dedicated to Mexican director, actor, producer, and screenwriter Emilio "El Indio" Fernández and Quebec visual artist, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer Gilles Carle. For this ofrenda we had the support of the staff of the Redpath Museum, the McGill Latin American and Spanish Students Association and the McGill Mexican Students Association. To represent each of the levels of the underworld in the Mexican death journey, we projected images on a stuffed eagle mounted on an alter. The ofrenda was presented for one week and was visited by approximately 5,000 people from Montreal and the surrounding area. The local Mexican community actively participated in the workshops organized by the Consulate and we collaborated especially with Diana Mora and Daniel Juarez for the videomapping of the Eagle.
Promotion of Mexico and its traditions in one of the most emblematic places in Montreal.
In 2017, we had the privilege of collaborating with the Tourism Promotion Council of Mexico and the Montreal Cancer Institute. The event took place at the Old Port of Montreal and was dedicated to honouring Juan Gabriel and Leonard Cohen. OVer the course of three days, we covered various topics including social issues, culture, gastronomy, and promoting tourism in Mexico. The event was well received by the local community, and we were fortunate to have the participation of actress Sophie Faucher as the host, singer Mamsellle Ruiz, and artists like Julio Menchaca, Oscar Becerra, Manuel Ribeiro, Bruno Sierra, and Gabriel Peña Tijerina.
The Old Port of Montreal receiving more than 6 million people annually, an area inside the city where an average of 16,500 people pass through daily, including locals and tourists, provided the ideal place for families from all over the world to visit our ofrenda.
The female figure at the center of our Ofrenda and its message.
The orfrenda that we set up at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC) in 2018 was dedicated to Chavela Vargas and Lhasa de Sela, influential singers in both Mexico and Quebec. The centrepiece was a skull representing a crowned nun, symbolizing the feminine and mystical aspects of religion, created by artisans Óscar Becerra, Rubén Castillo, and Emily Jan. Concrodia University’s Textiles and Materiality Cluster, coordinated by Professor Barbara Layne, also contributed to the ofrenda.
Our altar shared space with the piece Pulse Spiral by the Mexican artist Rafael Lozano Hemmer, which at that time was installed as part of the individual exhibition dedicated to his work.
We are part of a participative community proud of its traditions.
The Day of the Dead ofrenda and event for the year 2019 took place in the lobby of the Montreal Arts Council. This special altar marked the end of the Latin American Heritage Month in Montreal and honoured four individuals: Mexican artist Francisco Toledo, Quebec artist Marcelle Ferron, historian Miguel Léon Portilla, and diplomat Jaime García Amaral.
THe ceremony also apid tribute to those who lost their lives in the powerful earthquake that struck Mexico City in September of that year. This edition of the event collaborated with the Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Quebec Latinarte, and featured the participation of Manuel Riveiro, Alfonso Hernández, Francisco Fonseca, as well as the supportive Mexican community who contribute their assistance every year.
