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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman's mausoleum altar, in honor of her relatives, Rose and Frank Francia. |
A rose is perfect,
with an indelible heart.
So why do they fade?
Laurie Beth Zuckerman has created a new altar for the Longmont Museum and Cultural Center's 2013 El Día de los Muertos exhibition. This Day of the Dead altar is a memorial of Rose and Frank Francia, the matriarch and patriarch of the Francia/Zuckerman family. This altar was built inside of a mausoleum structure, designed by myself and the museum's exhibition staff who also built it. It is derivative of mausoleums in Colonial Mexico that I have photographed in Oaxaca's municipal cemetery.
This is the third year I have contributed both an altar installation and Mexican cemetery photography to the Longmont Museum's annual exhibition. This time I was invited by the museum to participate on the committee to design this show. The concept this year was to turn the main gallery into a Mexican cemetery, known in Spanish as El Panteon. For my altar and photographic contributions, I received a stipend and an honorarium, and was invited to give a public lecture and gallery walk on October 16, 2013.
The El Día de los Muertos exhibition is currently on display through November 10, 2013. The ever popular Family Day Celebration is held on November 2. Two thousand people are expected to participate on that day, which officially honors the Day of the Dead in cemeteries throughout Mexico and Hispanic-American communities. I have included a few photographs taken during the festival.
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| Rose Francia's vintage porcelain statue of Our Lady of Fatima is from Portugal. |
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| The archway into the museum's cemetery display includes this flower stall, being admired by Fort Collins environmental artist, Lynne Hull. |
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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman's mausoleum is featured in the Longmont Museum's Mexican cemetery installation. |
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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman's mausoleum is featured in the Longmont Museum's Mexican cemetery installation.
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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman provided her Mexican cemetery photography to the walls and hallways of the Longmont Museum's El Día de los Muertos Exhibition. |
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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman contributed her Mexican cemetery crypt photography and design concept to this crypt wall built for the Longmont Museum exhibition. |
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| Laurie Beth Zuckerman contributed her Mexican cemetery crypt photography and design concept to this crypt wall built for the Longmont Museum exhibition.
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