Traditional Day of the Dead exhibit to open with a reception on Oct. 31

The Common Lobby Gallery at Amarillo College will come alive for a student art show celebrating the Day of the Dead – Dia de Los Meurtos – an exhibit opening with a reception at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, and the public is welcome to attend.

Dia de Los Merutos is a Latin American holiday honoring dead loved ones, encouraging them through their journey in the afterlife with both costumed revelry and prayer. This marks the AC Art Department’s 22nd observance of the holiday.

Each year the Day of the Dead art show invites AC student submissions of framed drawings – 16” x 20” or 18” x 24” – primarily in color pencils, markers, charcoal, graphite, and ink. Each piece in the exhibit will be accompanied by a short essay that explains the art’s inspiration.

The exhibit will be on display through Dec. 9 in the Common Lobby Gallery, which is located in the foyer at the entrance to the Concert Hall Theater in the Music Building on the Washington Street Campus.

Refreshments will be served at the opening reception, and attendees are encouraged to wear costumes, although Steven Cost, professor of art, points out that Day of the Dead, even through it often coincides with Halloween, should not be confused with it.

“This is not about Halloween,” Cost said. “It’s about personal stories concerning death. We’ve asked our students to submit artwork symbolic of memorials, and occasionally students who have recently lost loved ones find the assignment to be therapeutic and healing. I have at least one such student this semester, and I’m sure this has been the case for other of our students as well over the years.

“The support our community has provided these past 20-plus years for this particular event has been greatly appreciated,” he said, “and we are looking forward to a large turnout for our opening reception again this year.”