Larger-than-life Día de los Muertos Art Installations by artist Ricardo Soltero will be on display at the Santa Monica Pier and 3rd Street Promenade.
Celebrate Día de los Muertos, the traditional Mexican cultural celebration of life and death, with huge art installations on Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier by Los Angeles-based artist Ricardo Soltero. The towering sculptures of La Catrina, one of Día de los Muertos’ most recognizable figures, will be placed at nine locations along the Promenade and four locations on the Pier beginning Saturday, October 31 – Monday, November 2.
Soltero’s iconic sculptures of La Catrina will tower 14 feet in height and welcome guests to the Promenade and Pier in brightly colored traditional Mexican attire inspired by Day of the Dead traditions and Mexican icons and embroidery. La Catrina was first born out of Mexican social satire and has become a well-known figure in celebration of the holiday.
A portion of this art installation is funded by the City of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Art of Recovery initiative, a grant program dedicated to funding projects by local artists and highlighting the important role arts and culture plays in recovery efforts as they strengthen and connect Santa Monica. For more information, visit downtownsm.com.
Video by @lifesmomentsvideo
Dia de los Muertos
The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. The holiday has recently been celebrated in pop-culture with the release of Disney’s 2017 animated feature, Coco.
About Ricardo Soltero
Mexican artist Ricardo Soltero is the director and stage-set designer behind the largest Day of the Dead celebration in the United States, which takes place annually at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Born in Nayarit, Mexico, Ricardo has introduced color and culture to exhibits and fundraisers throughout the country with papier-mâché, wood, fiberglass, recycled materials and most importantly, his heritage at the forefront of each piece.
Ricardo’s current and ongoing creative project collaborations include: the annual Hollywood Forever Día de los Muertos celebration, Meet Me at the Metro, the 20-year running play of Frida Kahlo with the Synergy Theatre Group, 24th Street Theatre set design, Semblanza Latinoamericana, The Autry Museum, East L.A. Meets Napa, Denver Botanic Gardens, Santa Clarita Valley Festival for Day of the Dead, La Vista Memorial Park’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration, UNICEF’s Annual Gala, and the Metropolitan Fashion Show.
About Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is a private non-profit 501c(3) that works with the City of Santa Monica to manage services and operations in Downtown Santa Monica that promote economic stability, growth and community life within Downtown Santa Monica. DTSM, Inc. manages the Property-based Business Assessment District (PBAD) that encompasses the area bounded by Ocean Avenue (W), Wilshire Boulevard (N), Lincoln Boulevard (E) and the Santa Monica Freeway (S). For more info, please visit DowntownSM.com.