The National Museum of Mexican Art is currently presenting its 40th annual exhibition of ofrendas and commemorative artwork honoring Día de Muertos, running through November 29. Since its inception in 1987, the museum has played a critical role in popularizing this Mexican tradition throughout the Midwest. Día de Muertos involves creating altars decorated with marigolds, candles, favorite foods, and personal mementos to honor deceased loved ones, a practice rooted in indigenous Mesoamerican cultures and later influenced by Roman Catholicism.

Robert Valadez, a Pilsen-based artist and second-generation Mexican American, has contributed to multiple past exhibitions, reflecting on his own evolving understanding of ofrendas since first encountering them in the museum’s early shows. “Until that first show of altars way back, they were totally new to me,” he said, noting the exhibit’s educational impact for many visitors.

The tradition of ofrendas, which span thousands of years, gained greater visibility in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s amid increasing Mexican immigration and the rise of the Chicano movement. Carina Yepez, a textile artist from Pilsen, recalled learning about ofrendas only as a young adult, despite growing up in a Mexican community in Chicago. She emphasized the significance of the practice in opening dialogues around grief and remembrance: “We are so conditioned to grieve on our own and not encouraged to mention death; this opens a space to talk about life and grief.” Yepez now constructs altars throughout the year for family and friends, highlighting the adaptability of the tradition.

The museum’s exhibit displays a diverse range of altars, from classic tri-tiered ofrendas featuring traditional elements such as the Virgin of Guadalupe and offerings like mole and pan de muerto, to contemporary interpretations incorporating pop culture, activism, and personal narratives.

This year’s exhibition, titled “Where Memory Lives: 40 Years of Día de Muertos,” features tributes to prominent figures within the Latino arts and academic communities. One altar honors Gilberto Cárdenas, founder of the Latino Studies department at the University of Notre Dame and a significant collector of Latino art. Organized by Brookes Ebetsch of the Chicago Artists Coalition, the ofrenda includes personal artifacts such as Cárdenas’s coursebook, a typewriter, coffee cups, and references to his extensive community work, underscoring his influence rather than simply cataloging achievements.

Chicago artist CHema Skandal! created a minimalist altar for his father, Don Chema, who passed away in January. The altar incorporates symbolic materials such as ink mixed with ground coffee, a traditional petate mat from his father’s village in Puebla, and natural elements representing environmental stewardship, reflecting his father’s commitments during life.

Glass artist David Rios presents a triptych of glass altars combining traditional symbols like the Virgin Mary with contemporary themes, including the perilous journeys of migrants and remembrance of those who do not survive border crossings. His intricate work is imbued with familial references, including candies, rosary beads, and objects signifying heritage and continuity.

The exhibition also features a highly traditional altar by Oaxacan artist Demetrio García Aguilar, created in collaboration with the memory of his mother, the late Josefina Aguilar, a renowned sculptor of clay figurines. Incorporating her ceramic works, the altar emphasizes the connection between tradition, memory, and the anticipation of reunion with departed loved ones. It includes a self-portrait of Josefina surrounded by clay figures representing family members, as well as symbolic items such as a clay Virgin of Guadalupe and an Oaxacan sand painting recreated in plaster for gallery safety.

This collection of altars and artworks highlights the evolving nature of Día de Muertos traditions while underscoring their enduring cultural significance for Mexican American communities in Chicago and beyond. The exhibition invites visitors to engage with themes of memory, identity, and communal remembrance across generations.