For the past couple of years my busiest time has been around Halloween,  but i've had the joy of  joining Expressarte team  for a proper Dia de los muertos mexican style.
I am now left wishing to one day go to Mexico that time of the year and join in the celebration.

The face-painting, known here as sugar skull, is called La Calavera Catrina and it is inspired by etchings from 1910-1913 by mexican artist  Jose Guadalupe Posada. In the recent years it has become increasingly popular and I dare say the work of Silvia Ji might have something to do with this.

Sugar skulls are actually made of sugar and traditionally decorated to be placed in the altar where ancestors and loved ones who have passed on  are honored (some do eat the skulls afterwards).
Good mexican food, Pan de Muerto ( far too sweet for me) and some good mexican tunes old and new make this celebration pretty awesome. Top it up with performers, live bands and a mexican horror film and it cant get any better IMO.

This year's Catrina  marathon  of 4 days and 2 night certainly left me thinking a bit on death; that inevitable destiny that unites us all, no matter what class, religion, race, gender, age, nationality or even species we identify our selves as. I think its important to celebrate the certainty of it, her lack of fear or discrimination and with this her beauty. Next year Mr Mandela will be high on the altar of many, definitely in mine. La muerte...may she give him restful peace and may humanity never forget his shine.

Special thanks  to Expressarte, Movimientos latinos and the wonderful photographers Roger Alarcon and Ingrid Guyon