For those of you out there who are not aware, November 1st and 2nd mark the traditional Mexican holidays of the Day of the Dead. These holidays are also celebrated in many countries around the world, but instead of being called Day of the Dead, November 1st is called All Saints Day, while November 2nd is called All Souls Day. These holidays are all basically a time to remember loved ones and family who have passed on. The Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead has a lot of iconic art that is very popular amongst fans of tattoo and tattoo collectors alike. Even if you aren’t familiar with Day of the Dead, you’ll most certainly have seen Catrinas, the costumed female bodies with skeleton faces and calaveras (skulls) in everything from tattoos to paintings and T-shirts.
This year the El Diablo cafe in Denver, Colorado really got into the spirit of things by holding their second annual Dia de los Muertos Tattoo Art Show and Charity Auction. Traditional sugar skulls, which Mexican families typically leave at altars and which can be eaten, were decorated by various local tattoo artists and put up for auction. Says cafe co-owner, Sean Yontz:
‘”This year, everyone wanted in on it. We’ve had a big display of most of them up all week long, hanging above the bar. Some of them are just crazy looking!”‘
The skulls are present in no small number, roughly 40-50 of them within the cafe, all of them being auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Mi Casa Resource Center, a Denver based organization dedicated to aiding Latino and low income families inmprove their employability, education, knowledge and life skills. Sounds like the whole thing was a great opportunity to see and purchase some really creative and original art, help out a worthwhile cause and of course, party.