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johnpaulthornton β€” La Muerta Bonita

Published: 2010-10-31 20:17:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 2287; Favourites: 78; Downloads: 46
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Description "La Muerta" is part of a series of paintings I created for a "Dia De Los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead" exhibition in Los Angeles.

This rich traditional holiday is primarily celebrated in Mexico, but has caught on as an alternative to Halloween. The ancient Mayan and Aztec cultures conceived of death as being a sacred and mystical passage and when conquering Spanish Christians introduced "All Soul's Day," the Mexican people embraced the holiday with their hearts. Using Christian symbols and Aztec vision, it is a synthesis of cross-cultural belief, superstition, faith and devotion

Day of the dead is often called "Mexican Halloween" but in fact it represents the OPPOSITE of Halloween.

Day of the Dead imagines an evening where our deceased relatives actually come home to party with their loved ones back on Earth. The dead are depicted in art not as zombies or ghosts, but as kind skeletons, happily going about their business, just existing in an alternate world.Families create altars in cemeteries and in homes, upon which are placed marigold flowers, photos and favorite food or drink of the deceased.

The Butterfly symbolizes transformation and rebirth, and it is often used in artistic motifs. This painting is seven feet tall.
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Comments: 18

LaUnicaGitana [2016-05-18 20:51:46 +0000 UTC]

How much is this painting? Β Is it available in other sizes? Β Are there prints available?

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D-mon-s [2011-12-22 14:38:00 +0000 UTC]

Simply Fantastic!!!! Nice up close detail of your original work that I love so much! You really are so very talented and I love your Gallery...Dee. X

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shoppergurl [2011-07-22 13:39:32 +0000 UTC]

This is gorgeous! My aunt and I went to Mexico in 2007 with a friend of hers and we got there, right after De Los Meurtos. However, we did get to see some of the graves still decorated with Magnolia petals. All very pretty and breath taking.

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SPAMkid [2011-02-14 06:50:18 +0000 UTC]

I would love to see that in person some day, I bet the textures on that are fantastic...

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misterwackydoodle [2010-11-22 02:48:54 +0000 UTC]

love the vermillion (looks like on my monitor) hair and the texture is gorgeous all over, makes the thumbnail really striking too... , this is scary and a bit funny at the same time.

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KEYCIxDOLL [2010-11-14 02:28:05 +0000 UTC]

beautiful.

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Jenu1 [2010-11-09 01:22:03 +0000 UTC]

I swear it feels like the butterfly is going to start fluttering around outside of my computer screen any second now, it looks so vivid and colorful and beautiful.

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windbutterfly [2010-11-06 17:19:27 +0000 UTC]

beautiful

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Marcauest [2010-11-01 18:03:23 +0000 UTC]

The day when dead and alive come to the fiesta togheter!!!
Today is "all saints day"...tomorrow "death's day". Great days for us here in Mexico!

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johnpaulthornton In reply to Marcauest [2010-11-01 18:37:04 +0000 UTC]

There is also "la noche de los Ninos"...

or "Dia de los ninos", yes?

Included in Nov 1st typically?

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Marcauest In reply to johnpaulthornton [2010-11-01 19:56:05 +0000 UTC]

November 1st is used to finish the arrangements for the Dia de Muertos and during that day in the graveyard, there is a ceremony for the dead children. That's why it's called "Dia de los muertos inocentes" (Day of the inocent dead), also named "Noche de los niΓ±os (Night of the children). For the church this day is called "DΓ­a de todos los Santos" (All saints day) So weather you are religious or not, as a mexican, you can have a party, though death still hurts...so surreal, don't you think?

November 2 is Dia de Muertos (Dead day) for the catholic church, but as you said, in Mexico, the tradition is a merge between, the spanish-catholic celebration for those catholic-devotees who passed away, and also the rich indiginous culture of our people.

Today the atmposphere in Mexico is filled with sensations and emotions. Even inside this huge city of Mexico, there is a special silence with a static feeling like in expectation of those who are returning to dance, drink and dine with the living ones. Everything seems to be happening in slow motion; dead are taking some of the energy from the living ones, like charging their batteries for the next day. The word I found to describe it is...sharing!

Even for us mexicans, this is quite a wonderful experience!

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johnpaulthornton In reply to Marcauest [2010-11-01 20:03:25 +0000 UTC]

I love your description and your information! Muchas gracias!

Here in Los Angeles it is becoming very popular and even trendy, but still retains an air of emotion and love.

best to you!

John Paul

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Marcauest In reply to johnpaulthornton [2010-11-01 20:18:06 +0000 UTC]

My pleasure.

If it becomes a trend, I only hope it keeps the the real thing and not only a missunderstanding or erroneous interpretations of it. Like the 5 de Mayo (instead of Sept 15th)

One of the main things I like of my culture is that it seems so surreal; just consider that even the dead make bonds toghether within our people

Thanks to you for spreding our culture to your country. I sincerely appreciate that a lot!

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crazygardener [2010-11-01 13:13:24 +0000 UTC]

Cool painting!!! Excellent work!!

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MD-Arts [2010-10-31 21:10:46 +0000 UTC]

Another amazing piece of art

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OddOmission [2010-10-31 20:24:48 +0000 UTC]

Seven feet tall?
I wish I could see the whole thing through my own eyes and not some screen. This painting is phenomenal!

Happy Halloween!

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titol87 [2010-10-31 20:20:03 +0000 UTC]

sweet very good work

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johnpaulthornton [2010-10-31 20:18:30 +0000 UTC]

This is a a detail of the large full piece.

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