SAN JOSE, California (October 11, 2010)—The San Jose Museum of Art will celebrate El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with a free community day on Saturday, October 30, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The popular annual family event features a variety of hands-on art activities, demonstrations, and performances that reflect the traditions associated with this holiday. Admission to the program and the Museum is free on October 30.

Activities and entertainment will include:

• The building of an ofrenda—an altar used to display portraits, foods, and special possessions and memories of loved ones—by local artist Cristina Velazquez
• Live music by San Jose Mariachi. Members of this semi-professional co-ed ensemble are all high school, college, and graduate students between the ages of 16-23. In addition to performing at festivals and venues throughout the region and beyond, these young musicians also serve as instructors and role models for an after-school youth mariachi program.
• Book reading and signing by local author/illustrator Bob Barner. Bob opens up the world of art, music and books with his fun, energetic presentation. Bob will read from his book, draw along to the song “Dem Bones” and encourage young visitors to keep a journal with their own ideas for a masterpiece.
• Traditional Day of the Dead crafts such as Calaveras de Azucar, or sugar skulls. In the tradition of Mexican folk artists, visitors will use colorful icing, foil, and wire to decorate skulls made of solid sugar.
• Lucha Libre thumb wrestler: visitors will make their own thumb-sized Luchardore (wrestler), inspired by Mexico’s professional wrestling and characterized by high-flying moves and colorful masks.
• Shrink-art skeletons:  visitors will decorate plastic skeletons, then shrink them into a colorful hoodie zipper pull or pendant.

El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is an important and joyful holiday, celebrated in Latin America and parts of the United States, which brings families together to celebrate the lives of their dead ancestors. Officially celebrated on November 1 and 2, the holiday brings families and communities together to share their love and respect for their loved ones with all night vigils, song and dance, sharing of special holiday foods, and by building altars. Observance of the holiday in Mexican-American communities in the United States continues to grow. As Day of the Dead customs develop within the cultures of the United States, new traditions evolve. SJMA Community Day festivities are a traditional and inter-cultural modernization of the Day of the Dead celebration.

The San Jose Museum of Art is located at 110 South Market Street in downtown San Jose, California. For more information, call 408-271-2787 or visit www.SanJoseMuseumofArt.org.

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Programs at the San Jose Museum of Art are generously supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, by operating support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; the James Irvine Foundation; the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; the Adobe Foundation; and the Koret Foundation; the MetLife Foundation; and a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.