Talented Year 7 and 8 art students from Rye College have created a fine collection of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) skulls to honour the Mexican holiday celebrated each November.
Dia de los Muertos coincides with the Catholic celebrations of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day, but the Mexican people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honouring their deceased loved ones.
They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.
The skulls are traditionally made from granulated sugar, meringue powder, and water, the sugar symbolising the sweetness of life.
The Rye College students used clay to mould the skulls and used traditional patterns to paint them in response to their Frida Kahlo and Dias de los Muertos classes where they were introduced to different ways of celebrating death and life in different cultures. Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter renowned for her portraits and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico.
The skulls are currently on display in the Rye Bank Gallery.
Image Credits: Rye College .