Tag: Dia de los Muertos

Cultural Highlights: Exciting Events Coming to the Briscoe Western Art Museum

Events include Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West, Native American Film Series, and Día de los Muertos activities. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

San Antonio, TX – Opening a window into the rich history, culture and landscapes of the Southwest, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is proud to host Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West, an exhibition that reveals the breadth of narrative art produced in the Southwest from the early twentieth century to today. The exhibition features more than 70 remarkable works curated from the prestigious collections of the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, the Briscoe, and private lenders. Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West will be on view October 4, 2024, through January 19, 2025, and is included with museum admission. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2024)

“Narrative art tells a story. It can illustrate historic events or bring the imagination to life. The traditions of storytelling in the Southwest go back to ancient times and the Indigenous populations of the region. From the simple carved forms of Helen Cordero to the narrative realism of Martin Grelle and Navajo artist Ed Natiya, the exhibition celebrates the intricate tapestry of the American Southwest’s artistic heritage. We’re proud to share these works and the stories they tell.” – Liz Jackson, President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The exhibition explores the various ways artists have told stories about the Southwest in their work, including illustrations of historic events such as Diego Romero’s image of the Pueblo Revolt and paintings of local religious ceremonies such as William Penhallow Henderson’s “Holy Week in New Mexico” and ruminations on spiritual traditions as in Partocinio Barela’s “Last Supper,” as well as reflections on modern art and iconic images of the West inspired by pop culture, including Andy Warhol’s “Geronimo” and Billy Schenck’s “Cliff.”

The range of artists and the stylistic variation represented in Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West offer a variety of lenses, allowing audiences to engage with the region’s complex and evolving history and culture. Storytellers showcases the talents of renowned artists like Fritz Scholder, Gerald Cassidy, Alan Houser and Henry Balink, who bring diverse perspectives on cowboy, Native, and Spanish cultures, alongside works by Frederic Remington, Andy Warhol, Logan Maxwell Hagege, Martin Grelle and Mark Maggiori.

Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West was organized by the New Mexico Museum of Art. The exhibition is sponsored in part by The City of San Antonio, Jan McCaleb Elliott, Jessica Elliott Middleton and The Texas Commission on the Arts.

Storytellers: Conversation with the Curator
Exhibition tour with guest curator Christian Waguespack
Friday, October 4, 2p.m. – 3p.m., included with museum admission
Saturday, October 5, 2p.m. – 3p.m., included with museum admission

Talk with a leading expert in the field of narrative art and enjoy a tour of the exhibition with curator Christian Waguespack as he provides unique insight into the art and discusses the special connection Storytellers has with New Mexico.

Community Ofrenda, Art and Día de los Muertos: Sharing the Stories of the Departed
Ofrenda: October 3 through November 4, included with museum admission
Painting with DiZurita: October 19, 6p.m. – 8p.m., $45, $25 for museum members
Sugar Skull Pinatas: October 27, 1p.m. – 2:30p.m., 3p.m. – 4:30p.m., $20, $15 for museum members
Calaveritas: October 27, 1:30p.m. – 4:30p.m., included with museum admission

In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the community is invited to participate in the Briscoe’s community ofrenda honoring influential figures in Western art and the American West. Everyone is welcome to add photos of lost loved ones and personal offerings to help celebrate their lives. The ofrenda will be on display in the museum lobby and free Día de los Muertos-themed crafts will be available for those who would like to participate. The Briscoe’s Hendler Family Museum Store will have Día de los Muertos items available for those who wish to add to their offerings.

Enjoy a Día de los Muertos painting session led by energetic and charismatic international artist Gio DiZurita. Based in San Antonio, DiZurita tells stories through her art, an everlasting transformation of life experiences. Create your own Catrina or sugar skull masterpiece while sipping beer, wine, or prickly pear margaritas. You’ll create an acrylic painting on an 11 x 14 canvas in a hands-on session with Gio as she guides guests through a take-home work of art. Registration for this 21+ event is per person and includes beer, wine and all supplies. Class size is limited, so register today to secure your spot.

For more Día de los Muertos celebration, join local artist Adriana Gamez as she leads guests through a sugar skull piñata class, sharing cultural insights and crafting techniques while helping everyone create a sugar skull piñata filled with Mexican candy. Light refreshments and all supplies needed to create an 11” inch piñata, as well as the candy, are included. Participants also receive admission to the museum. One ticket per person, both adults and children, is required. Two sessions are being held to accommodate everyone, but spots are limited so register now to avoid missing out.

Stop in on October 27 as artist Renée Letapi-Gamez leads everyone in painting miniature sugar skull canvases you can take home to commemorate Día de los Muertos. A student at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Renée Letapi-Gamez draws inspiration from Latin culture and is a Día de los Muertos aficionado. Her focus is on small works inspired by catrinas, calveras and alebrijes. She’ll share her passion for these traditional elements of Día de los Muertos and help everyone create their own miniatures. The drop-in activity is included with museum admission and all materials are provided.

Native American Film Series Returns

Storytelling is a vital tradition in Native American heritage, serving as a powerful way to pass down knowledge, history and cultural values from one generation to the next.

As part of the Storytellers exhibition, the Briscoe is proud to announce the reboot of its Native American Film Series, a celebration of Indigenous storytelling through the lens of contemporary cinema. This series spotlights films created by Native American filmmakers and artists, offering audiences a unique opportunity to engage with the stories, cultures and histories of Indigenous communities from the American West.

All films were directed, written, produced by and/or star Native Americans. Matthew Davila, a member of the Standing Rock Lakota Sioux Tribe, curated the series and will lead a short presentation before each film. The films are included with museum admission and are free for members. The series includes:

  • “Rez Ball,” Sunday, October 20, 2p.m.
  • “Windtalkers,” Sunday, November 17, 2p.m.
  • “Indian Relay,” Sunday, January 12, 2p.m.

Storytellers: Sculpture Demonstration and Conversation with Artist Ed Natiya
Meet the Artist – Thursday, November 14, 6p.m. – 8p.m., included with general admission

SAMA partners with UNAM San Antonio to present altar honoring Juan O’Gorman

Ofrenda: Juan O’Gorman and a Legacy of Muralism will be on view through November 30, 2023. Photo: UNAM San Antonio.

In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) is delighted to announce a special collaboration with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México San Antonio (UNAM San Antonio) to present Ofrenda: Juan O’Gorman and a Legacy of Muralism. The ofrenda, or altar, will pay homage to the remarkable Mexican artist and architect known for Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas, the iconic mosaic mural he created for Hemisfair ’68. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2023)

The ofrenda will be on view in SAMA’s Great Hall from Thursday, October 26 to Thursday, November 30.

Five UNAM students—Jhosep Bonillas, Rodrigo Gael Martínez, Pabel Erubey Medina, Diana Valeria Nápoles, and Mariana Tovar de Alba—were part of the team that submitted the winning proposal to build an altar at the UNAM San Antonio campus in a competition at the School of Architecture at UNAM in Mexico City. SAMA then invited them to build a complementary altar at the Museum. The altar will be placed next to Carlos Rosales-Silva’s mural Pase Usted, as his practice is greatly influenced by Mexican Muralism and O’Gorman.

The students built the altar with assistance from the Museum’s staff using traditional flowers such as cempashúchil (marigolds) and incorporate beer bottles as a nod to SAMA’s history as the old Lone Star Brewery. They also created an elaborate tapete (tapestry) using traditional materials.

Juan O’Gorman’s artistic contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of muralism and architecture. In his mural work, O’Gorman depicted various pre-Hispanic and Mesoamerican cultures, as well as elements of popular culture and everyday life in Mexico. A masterpiece, Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas celebrated the historical and cultural ties between Mexico and the United States. Today, the 2,600 square foot mural adorns the façade of the Lila Cockrell Theatre at the Henry B. González Convention Center.

The UNAM San Antonio will host a series of programs to commemorate O’Gorman’s legacy, including the Altar de Muertos dedicado a la vida de Juan O’Gorman on view from October 26 to November 30 at UNAM San Antonio: 600 Hemisfair Park. San Antonio, TX 78205 (210) 222-8626.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

Pearl announces Fall 2020 events

Feliz Modern POP’s Maker Kits for Dia de los Muertos. Photo: Pearl, used with permission.

Pearl is proud to announce its virtual and campus-wide programming for fall 2020. The season will kick off with autumn activities to enjoy at home followed by a socially distant Día de los Muertos celebration featuring in-person and virtual altars. The fall festivities will continue with culinary content for Thanksgiving including curated curbside boxes available for purchase. (Pearl, 2020)

Farmers Market – Pearl will continue to host the Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9a.m. to 1p.m and Sundays from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Safety measures remain in place, including mandatory masks for vendors and hand sanitizing/washing stations throughout the footprint. Guests have the option to use Pearl’s Farmers Market Curbside service on Fridays between 3p.m. and 7p.m. 

Pearl Farmers Market will feature pumpkins for purchase from Braune Farms so families can carve their own Halloween creations at home. The market will also offer Halloween themed goodie boxes available online starting on Friday, October 23. The market will host the 28th Annual Herb Market on Saturday, October 17 and will feature specialty herbs and other items. The herb of the year is Rubus. Though Fiesta was canceled this year, Pearl will honor the beloved tradition by selling Pearl and Pearl partner Fiesta medals through Farmers Market Curbside. Medals will be available to purchase online beginning October 30 through December 1.    

Fall – To celebrate fall harvest, Pearl will release a series of videos featuring Hotel Emma’s chef, John Brand. Brand will share his favorite pumpkin recipes using seasonal produce from Pearl Farmers Market’s regional producers and family farms. The videos will be released on Pearl Farmers Market social media pages on October 21 and 22. Pumpkin carving stencils will also be available at the Pearl Farmers Market to take home at no charge to be picked up on October 24, 25 and 31. Stencils available while supplies last. 

Día De Los Muertos – Pearl reimagines its annual Día De Los Muertos celebration, honoring loved ones who have passed, as a largely virtual experience. In addition to the onsite community altar, videos of altars at two offsite locations will be available to view on Pearl social media pages. Altars will be located at the Mexican Cultural Institute and at the Carver Community Cultural Center.

The Mexican Cultural Institute and the Consulate of Mexico in San Antonio, in partnership with the San Antonio-Mexico Friendship Council (SAMFCO), are proud to create an altar in honor of Manuel Felguérez, one of the earliest and most prominent proponents of abstract art in Mexico, who passed away this summer from COVID-19. In December 2019, Felguérez was recognized by the government of Mexico City as a figure of Living Cultural Heritage for a lifetime dedicated to the arts.

The Carver Community Cultural Center has invited local artist Kaldric Dow to create an altar dedicated to those who have lost their lives to social injustice. Pearl’s annual community altar will be on view at the Pearl Shade Structure from November 1 to 8. Masks will be required when visiting the altar. The altar will be created by Jon Hinojosa, Artistic Executive Director of SAY Sí, with help from SAY Sí alumni and staff. The theme of the altar is Amor y Esperanza (Love and Hope) and is dedicated to those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. The altar will consist of four levels and four sides, representing the four stages of life, the four points of the earth, the four seasons and the four mathematical points upon which the pyramids were built. SAY Sí is developing an interactive app where people can leave names of their loved ones in lieu of leaving physical mementos at the altar. 

The public can purchase Maker Kits from Feliz Modern POP beginning October 13. Options include a Catrina Collage by local artist Regina Moya or a Sugar Skull Piñata by Manola & Maria and Lua Bash. Kits include instructions and materials and how-to demos by the artists will be available on Pearl’s Facebook page on November 1.  

The Mexican Cultural Institute will have a booth at the Farmers Market on Sunday, November 1, where they will give out ceramic skull banks which kids can decorate at home. The Farmers Market information booth will be giving out marigolds. Banks and marigolds will be available while supplies last.

Azul Barrientos will round out the Día de los Muertos celebration with a special, online performance that commemorates the traditional Mexican holiday. The performance will be available to view on Pearl social media pages on November 2. Hotel Emma and La Gloria will each have altars on display and Pan de Muerto will be available at Hotel Emma to complete the socially distant celebrations at home.

Thanksgiving – Guests hoping to avoid crowded grocery stores this holiday season will be able to purchase everything needed for a Thanksgiving feast at Pearl Farmers Market Curbside. Products include a box with ingredients and recipe cards for a variety of Thanksgiving sides, turkey brining kits, pies and centerpieces. Thanksgiving products will be available for preorder starting November 1 through 21, with curbside pickup on November 24. There will be no curbside pickup the Friday following Thanksgiving.

“While we’ll miss being together for some of our most popular signature events, we will honor this time of year with special offerings through Farmers Market and new virtual programming and culinary content.” – Elizabeth Fauerso, Pearl’s Chief Marketing Officer

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with La Panaderia’s Pan de Muerto

pandemuerto
La Panaderia’s Pan de Muerto.  Photo: Karissa Rangel, used with permission.

With an official citywide Dia de los Muertos celebration, San Antonio sees one of the biggest celebrations in the country, hosting parades and colorful events with altars, calaveras on stilts and live mariachi throughout Friday November 1 and Saturday November 2. For anyone looking for traditional treats to serve for the celebration, La Panadería is making it easy for locals to pick up their Pan de Muerto for Dia de los Muertos parties. (La Panadería, 2019)

During the holiday, La Panadería will offer party size Pan de Muerto in a special box decorated with calaveras, available for pick up before the holiday. Offering traditional Pan de Muerto is important to the business owners since it is part of the duo’s Mexican culture and reminds them of their time spent in Mexico City. What makes La Panadería’s treat stand out is their baking technique that uses plenty of high-quality European butter in comparison to other recipes that do not use butter at all. The butter aids the bread due to its long rest period of 72 hours. Earlier this year, La Panadería provided city officials with party favor sized Pan de Muerto during its official Dia de los Muertos press conference and will provide Pan de Muerto at the large festival held by Pearl.

Hoping to share their Mexican heritage with citizens in the U.S., José and David Cáceres opened La Panadería in San Antonio, Texas in 2014. The bakery, which specializes in handmade bread, pan dulce and pastries inspired by Mexico’s Golden Era, or Epoca de Oro, also draws influence from French, Italian and American breadmaking techniques. La Panadería’s unique approach to breadmaking includes a minimum 48-hour fermentation process that results in artisan bread and pastries unlike any other. La Panadería has two locations in San Antonio, Texas.

8305 Broadway St.
San Antonio, TX 78209
(210) 375-6746

301 E. Houston St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 592-6264

Fall and Winter happenings at the Pearl

pearlatnight
Upcoming events at the Pearl include a Labor Day Party and a Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival. Photo: Nick Simonite, used with permission.

Pearl recently announced its campus-wide programming for fall and winter of 2019. Kicking off the fall with Labor Day, Pearl will host numerous family-friendly events including the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival, Dia de los Muertos, Holiday Night Markets, Posada and more. (Pearl, 2019)

Labor Day Party
In celebration of Labor Day, Pearl Park will host a relaxing evening filled with food, music and fun on Monday, September 2 from 5p.m. to 8p.m. Bud’s Southern Rotisserie will offer their specialty beignets and wings for purchase during the evening for guests to enjoy while listening to the musical stylings of Big Cedar Fever. The event is free and open to the public with food and drink available for purchase at The Bottling Department and Southerleigh’s oyster bar.

National Voter Registration Day at Pearl
In honor of National Voter Registration Day, Pearl will host League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to informed and active participation in government, to encourage voter registration and civic engagement. On Tuesday, September 24 from 6p.m. to 8 p.m. the League of Women Voters of the San Antonio Area will have a booth at the Bottling Department where visitors can register to vote and learn about civic engagement. There will also be food and drink specials by the Bottling Department tenants and a specialty made cake by Bakery Lorraine. The event will be free and open to the public with food and drink available for purchase.

Pop-Ups at Pearl
Pearl is excited to announce three new pop-up experiences coming to Pearl’s Dielmann Building this fall. The Dielmann Building, located in the old Il Sogno space, will host retails shops Miron Crosby, Period Modern and a contemporary design studio by Peter Glassford and Isabel Moncada. Miron Crosby, a bespoke boot brand from Dallas, will take over the space, followed by Period Modern, a brand offering hand-selected vintage and authentic Danish mid-century furniture. The pop up space will close with a contemporary design showcase of vibrant fashion, jewelry, tabletops, leather goods and furniture ranging from practical to extravagant by Peter Glassford and Isabel Moncada. The pop up schedule at Pearl includes:

Mariachi Lab
Join Pearl for its third annual Mariachi Lab, a showcase of mariachi talent from across San Antonio on Sunday, September 15 from 4p.m. to 8p.m. The event will kick off at Pearl Farmers Market with performances by the Guadalupe Mariachi Academy and the legendary Mariachi Campanas de America with youth performances and the main showcase to follow. Mariachi Lab will close with headliner and San Antonio-native Stephanie Urbina Jones. The event is free and open to the public with food and drink available for purchase at The Bottling Department and Southerleigh’s oyster bar.

Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival
Pearl, in partner with The Texas Butterfly Ranch, is proud to host the fourth annual Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival on Sunday, October 20 from 10a.m. to 2p.m. Promising a weekend of science, education and fun, the festival will celebrate the Monarch Butterfly’s majestic migration through Texas on their way to Mexico to roost for the winter. The event will include a people for pollinators parade, monarch butterfly tagging, educational demonstrations, live music and the world debut of the Waggle Dance at noon.

Dia de los Muertos
Pearl honors the lives of lost loved ones with the third annual celebration of Dia de los Muertos November 1 and 2 from 5p.m. to 9p.m. Altars will be on display across Pearl property with live music, a procession, art making and more available for patrons to enjoy. Both days will feature traditional altars created by local and regional artists. The entire event is free and open to the public (costumes and face painting are encouraged).

First Thursday Night Market
First Thursday Night Market continues at Pearl for the fall. Visitors can continue to shop at their favorite local Farmers Market vendors and artisans while enjoying music and food from Pearl restaurants. Various music artists will perform at the night market this summer at Pearl Park from 5:30p.m. to 7:30p.m. and at Pearl Parkito from 4p.m. to 8p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The artist schedule at Pearl includes:

  • Thursday, September 5
    • Pearl Parktio – Dos Mundos Guitar Duo
    • Pearl Park – Aaron Prado
    • Please join us in Larder from 5:30p.m. to 7:30p.m. to taste our select beers from Revolver Brewing. This will take place during September’s First Thursday Night Market at Pearl Park. This tasting is free and open to the public.
  • Thursday, October 3
    • Pearl Parkito – Beau Rodriguez
    • Pearl Park – Jose Amador & Terra Nova
  • Thursday, November 7
    • Pearl Parkito – Paula Cortez
    • Pearl Park – The Peterson Brothers

Holiday Night Markets
Starting Thursday, December 5 from 4p.m. to 8p.m., Pearl will bring back its popular Holiday Night Markets featuring Farmers Market and artisan vendors as well as festive live music. The Holiday Night Markets also include traditional culinary favorites like tamales, artisanal chocolates, and sweets. Vendors will vary each week. This event is free and open to the public. The Holiday Night Market schedule at Pearl includes:

  • December 5
  • December 12
  • December 19

Posada at Pearl
Inspired by the Mexican tradition of Las Posadas, Pearl hosts its third annual traditional Posada on Wednesday, December 18 from 6:30p.m. to 9p.m. Community members are invited to join the posada and become pilgrims traveling by candlelight. Las Posadas is a nine-day Christmas celebration in Mexico and Latin America, centered on the ritual re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s quest to find lodging in Bethlehem. The evening includes live music, children’s crafts and traditional treats of buñuelos, tamales, and Mexican hot chocolate. This event is free and open to the public.

Chanukah
Pearl welcomes back the fifth annual holiday traditional Chanukah Menorah lighting celebration on Monday, December 23 from 6p.m. to 7:30p.m. The festivities at Pearl will bring the entire Jewish San Antonio community together in celebration of Chanukah. The Menorah at Pearl will be lit each evening of Chanukah. This event is free and open to the public.

Pearl
303 Pearl Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260

Second annual Dia de los Muertos celebration at Pearl

pearldayofdead
This year’s Dia de los Muertos celebration will be on Thursday November 1 and Friday November 2. Photo: Matt Buikema, used with permission.

The second annual Dia de los Muertos celebration at the Pearl is scheduled for Thursday November 1 and Friday November 2. Pearl honors the rich traditional Mexican holiday that remembers family and friends who have passed away with altars/ofrendas, live music, a procession, art making and more. The event is free and open to the public and costumes and face painting are encouraged. (Pearl, 2018)

Both days will feature traditional altars created by local and regional artists including Emma Tenayuca, Cruz Ortiz, Al Rendon, Cristina Sosa Noriega and students from Bonham Academy, Twain Academy, Hawthorne Academy and Lamar Academy. Visitors are also invited to honor their loved-ones by contributing to Pearl’s community altar. Several restaurants and retailers on the property will also have their own altars.

Mexico City-based artist Karima Muyaes will also be creating an altar and will be Pearl’s artist-in-residence for Dia de los Muertos. Muyaes’ artwork will be showcased and available for purchase from November 1 through November 11. As an internationally renowned artist and printmaker, Muyaes creates artwork with iconic imagery and characteristic style. Large format paintings, prints, paper skulls, and vintage Mexican masks will be available for sale. Muyaes’ altar/ofrenda in honor of the 43 Mexican male students who disappeared in 2014 will also be on view.

Pearl will have a special La Catrina, a skeletal woman figure adorned in a fine dress and hat, often referred to as Mexico’s Grand Dame of Death, from Mexico City – Estela Williams. Williams is a Mexico, Canada and UK-based actress and performer and will be performing as La Catrina during the event.

Schedule for this event:
November 1 from 4p.m. to 9 p.m. (all at Pearl Park):
• 5p.m. to 5:45p.m.  – Live music by Tallercito de Son
• 5:50p.m. to 6p.m. – Ambassador Reyna Torres Mendívil of the Consulado General de México en San Antonio to give remarks
• 5:30p.m. to 7p.m. – Sugar Skull Demo at Hotel Emma.
• 6p.m. to 6:15p.m. – Erica Prosper Nirenberg children’s reading
• 6:15p.m. to 7p.m. – Procession which will include Southwest School of Art children, Matachines, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Calavera stilt walkers, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Cabezudos, Las Monas, Selena doll, Frida dolls
• 7p.m. to 7:45p.m. – Live music by Conjunto Heritage Taller
• 8p.m. to 9p.m. – Live music by Volcán

November 2 from 5p.m. to 9p.m. (all at Pearl Park):
• 5p.m. to 5:15p.m. – Dr. Reyes children’s reading
• 5:30p.m. to 6:15p.m. – Live music by Conjunto Heritage Taller
• 5:30p.m. to 7p.m. – Sugar Skull Demo at Hotel Emma.
• 6:30p.m. to 7:15p.m. – Live music by San Antonio Mariachi Academy
• 7:30p.m. to 9p.m. – Live music by Azul Barrientos and Band

Pearl Brewery
303 Pearl Parkway, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260