After listening to the virtual conference, I realized how little I previously knew in relation to Altar’s, and the deep significance and symbolism that this means to people rather than just the visual aspect. The presentation given by Ofelia Esparza and Rosanna was super interesting and allowed me to dive deep into aspects of Altar’s that I would have never realized before. Their projects that they worked on, were not only visually appealing, but very detailed and in dept of the people they were honoring. Instead of just pictures and food, they would utilize dynamic features in their Altar’s including butterflies, candles, flowers, etc. to really give their projects more life and movement. As seen in the amazing pictures and exhibits that they showed throughout their presentation, it was unveiled that they would often use unorthodox components, such as cutting up baking sheets, to utilize originality. The two women also mentioned that they both worked as Cultural Advisors for the movie Coco, which is exciting because I feel I learned a lot from that movie, not to mention the gorgeous visuals and music!
A common aspect that was brought up with a lot of the panelists created the notion that the Altar’s were not just artwork for the diseased, but often times are a call for action, an attempt at spreading a message. They referenced many issues in our society today, whether it be racism, violence, or immigration issues. Due to the Covid-19 crisis, it was also stated that these Altar’s acted as a place for pray, solitude, and connection in a time where we are unable to go to church/places of worship. Finally, one thing that really resonated with me was the conversation between the spiritual world and the physical world. The panelists brought up that it is important to give time for diseased individuals to transition between to two realms – and it is important to realize that healing is not far from us.
Overall, I thought the conference expanded my knowledge based on ideas and conversations that I had not explored in the past. This gives me something to ponder upon for the future, and creates a greater appreciation for the artists and designers of these complex and detailed Altar’s.
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