Translated, the title is "A great weekend for art," but really that is *any* weekend. October 29th and 30th however, was truly great. The Pantéon de Sacramento was a huge success, with over 24 hours of art, altars, musica, velas, flores, offering breads and treats, fotos, poemas, loved ones here and gone, old friends and new connections. The event, hosted by La Raza Galeria Posada and organized with mucho dedication by Program Coordinator Robertó Lopez and Directora artística y ejecutiva Marie Acosta, took place in the heart of Midtown: a large lot on 20th between J and K Streets.
About 50 altars occupied spaces throughout the lot - all very different but with the same message: to honor those who had passed, cats, dogs, grandparents, friends, children, relatives. To lighten the sadness and remind us to celebrate the life of those we love, there were Aztec dancers, Mexican poets and singers, a DJ spinning a variety of classics and new sounds and many, many attendees.
My altar, Pesca de Aguacate, honored Catherine Saum (1968-2007): friend, kindred spirit, artist. In addition to teaching me many creative techniques for living, Cath taught me how to "fish" for avocados from her three-story high tree in Southern California.
Also included in my altar is a painting of Greta, my Doberman of 12 years. I feel fortunate to have shared my bittersweet, vibrant memories with the world as part of the Pantéon de Sacramento.
