Oakland Museum of California Announces Programs for Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary
CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE LIST:
Museum exhibitions, Family events, Cultural events, Community events, Festivals
EXHIBITION
Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary
October 8, 2014–January 4, 2015
Artistic and community voices from the past, present, and future will come together for this year’s Días de los Muertos exhibition and related programs, marking two decades of the Oakland Museum of California’s commitment to uniting Bay Area communities around healing and remembrance. Highlighting contributions from pioneers of Días de los Muertos celebrations in the Bay Area and newer voices that continue to evolve this living tradition, the exhibition will include works from Jose Guadalupe Posada, Carmen Lomas Garza, Patssi Valdez, and Jesse Hernandez, among others. Co-curated by OMCA Curator of Public Practice Evelyn Orantes and Guest Curator Bea Carrillo-Hocker, Songs and Sorrows, the 20th anniversary of the exhibition at OMCA, will explore the tradition from its pre-Hispanic origins to its present expressions in California. Pre-Hispanic funerary artifacts, Mexican folk art, contemporary art, and installations will convey the iconic imagery and the aesthetic and spiritual qualities of this festival.
FRIDAY NIGHTS @ OMCA
Fridays in October, 5–9 pm
Join OMCA and Off the Grid on 10th Street every Friday through the month of October for a festive month of Días de los Muertos-themed evenings. Enjoy local music, food, art, and cultura! Savor California beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages around the Koi Pond at the Blue Oak beer garden. Enjoy half-price admission, community altar presentations, live music and dance, hands-on activities for kids, and extended OMCA Store hours.
What to expect on Fridays in October:
5–9 pm: Half-off gallery admission for adults, free for ages 18 and under
5–9 pm: Local beer and wine specials in the Blue Oak beer garden
5–9 pm: All Museum galleries open late
5–9 pm: Gourmet food trucks from Off the Grid featuring the best in local cuisine
5–6:30 pm: October resident DJ Jose Ruíz spinning hits in the 10th Street Amphitheater
5–8 pm: Family-friendly drop-in activity: paper marigold-making, in honor of the exhibition Songs and Sorrows
5–9 pm: Community altar spotlights in honor of the exhibition Songs and Sorrows
October 3: YMCA of the East Bay
October 10: OMCA Días de los Muertos Volunteer Committee
October 17: Oakland Asian Cultural Center
6:30–9 pm: Dance instruction and live bands playing festive music in the Amphitheater
7:30–7:45 pm: A Snack Size Docent Tour, a fifteen-minute mini-tour led by a talented OMCA Docent to introduce you to one of the Galleries—which one will be a surprise!
October 3 only, 6–8 pm: altar-making workshop with members of the Días de los Muertos Volunteer Committee, part of OMCA’s ongoing Makers & Tasters series
Fridays in November, 5–9 pm
Join OMCA and Off the Grid on 10th Street every Friday in November for a taste of local music, food, art, and culture! Savor California beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages around the Koi Pond at the Blue Oak beer garden. Enjoy half-price admission, live music, hands-on activities for kids, and extended OMCA Store hours. Experience the best in Bay Area curbside cuisine!
What to expect on Fridays in November:
5–9 pm: Half-off gallery admission for adults, free for ages 18 and under
5–9 pm: Local beer and wine specials in the Blue Oak beer garden
5–9 pm: All Museum galleries open late
5–9 pm: Gourmet food trucks from Off the Grid featuring the best in local cuisine
5–6:30 pm: November resident DJ spinning hits in the 10th Street Amphitheater
5–8 pm: Family-friendly drop-in activity: Mexican tin art, inspired by Songs and Sorrows
6:30–7 pm: Dance instruction in the 10th Street Amphitheater
7–9 pm: Live band playing music in the 10th Street Amphitheater
7:30–7:45 pm: A Snack Size Docent Tour, a fifteen-minute mini-tour led by a talented OMCA Docent to introduce you to one of the Galleries—which one will be a surprise!
Cost: Half-price gallery admission for adults, ages 18 and under are free. Admission for Members is always free. Cash bar. Prices vary for Off the Grid food trucks.
Transportation: OMCA is located one block from the Lake Merritt BART Station. Event parking is available at the Museum for a $5 flat fee after 5 pm.
ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME DÍAS DE LOS MUERTOS EVENTS
Opening Artist Ritual for Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary
Friday, October 10, 2014, 7–8 pm
Kick off this year’s Días de los Muertos festivities by joining participating artists from the past two decades of the Days of the Dead exhibition at OMCA, as well as new artists represented for the first time in 2014, for this informal ceremony in Oak Street Plaza. Participate in a traditional blessing of this year’s exhibition Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary. Before and after, check out Friday Nights @ OMCA, with food trucks, live music, and more. Included with Museum admission.
20th Anniversary Days of the Dead Community Celebration
Sunday, October 26, 2014, 12–4:30 pm
Join us as OMCA marks two decades of the annual Days of the Dead Community Celebration. Craft activities, tasty food, dance and music groups, colorful ofrendas, and ceremonia bring the community together for this healing tradition. Watch demonstrations of traditional Mesoamerican arts and cooking, and browse Days of the Dead merchandise by local artisans in OMCA’s mercado. Visit the special exhibition Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary, and revisit highlights from the past two decades the OMCA exhibition, as well as new works by local artists, on view in the Gallery of California Art. Included with Museum admission.
OMCA Store | Artist Signing: Jesse Hernandez
Friday, November 14, 2014, 6–9 pm
Don’t miss a rare opportunity to meet mural artist Jesse Hernandez, also known as Urban Aztec, signing limited edition posters and artwork at the OMCA Store. Hernandez, whose work is shown in the exhibition Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary, combines traditional indigenous styles and themes with an urban street sensibility. He utilizes bold line work, sharp colors, and dynamic imagery across many different mediums, and he is most widely known for his custom painted toys, illustration, animation, and canvas work. Free to the public.
Curatorial Tour | Fertile Ground and Songs and Sorrows
Friday, November 14, 2014, 7–7:45 pm
Gain valuable insight into OMCA’s two major fall exhibitions, Fertile Ground: Art and Community in California, and Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary, on this sampler curatorial tour. Join Curator of Photography and Visual Culture Drew Johnson and Curator of Public Practice Evelyn Orantes as they share personal highlights and stories about the artwork and the people behind them in these two major exhibitions. Included with Museum admission.
Friday, December 12, 2014, 7–7:45 pm
Join Guest Curator Bea Carrillo Hocker and Curator of Public Practice Evelyn Orantes for this special tour exploring representations of goddesses in the exhibition Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary. From the Aztec goddess Mictecacihuatl to the Virgin Mary, the tour will delve into a range of divine female figures and explore how goddesses have been depicted in the Days of the Dead tradition. Included with Museum admission.
Additional programs and events scheduled during Friday Nights @ OMCA and throughout the months of October, November, and December, can be found on museumca.org/events
SPONSORS
Songs and Sorrows: Días de los Muertos 20th Anniversary is made possible in part by generous support from the Oakland Museum Women’s Board, Kaiser Permanente, and the California Arts Council. The 2014 Days of the Dead Community Celebration is made possible in part by generous support from Kaiser Permanente and the Oakland Museum Women’s Board. OMCA Family is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Friday Nights @ OMCA is presented in partnership with Off the Grid: Lake Merritt @ OMCA and are made possible in part by generous support from the Walter and Elise Haas Fund.
ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The Oakland Museum of California is located at 1000 Oak Street in Oakland, California. Museum admission is $15 general; $10 seniors and students with valid ID, $6 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Members and children 8 and under. Admission during Friday Nights @ OMCA is half-off for adults, and free for ages 18 and under, after 5 pm. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the new 1000 Oak Street main entrance. For more information, visit museumca.org.
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