Religious imagery became part of the Day of the Dead celebration when the Aztecs were forced to convert to Christianity. Wanting to hold on to their celebration they used the Christian icons to appease the Spaniards and it seems to have worked to some degree. (This is very much the same origin, for Voodoo and Santeria among other so considered lesser religions. They merged their own religions with Christianity when they were forcibly converted to Christianity..)
Originally the Christian symbology meant nothing to the Aztecs,
but as time passed these religious icons became part of the celebration and the holiday became a mixture of Aztec traditions
and Catholic imagery.
Being raised Catholic, I enjoy the religious symbolism, and the stories behind the Saints. I find a lesson in the beauty of their faith and the brutality they suffered for it.
No harm or insult is intended to anyone represented in my work. I paint what I do because it is how I see the world. Death finds us all, in the time of his own choosing. Fearing it will not make it go away. Demonizing it will not alter the fact that death always wins. I include it in my art, because it is already inluded in my life. Day of the Dead art for me is a celebration of life and the afterlife.
My Day of the Dead Madonna is available in my Day of the Dead greeting cards, altar candles, and the limited edition prints.
Sep 17, 02:38 AM