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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 2020)
2 Thursday, October 29, 2020 GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon COVER STORY — DAY OF THE DEAD ART CENTER EAST HOSTS LA GRANDE — The annual Día de los Muer- tos celebration has returned to Art Center East. Like everything this year, however, ACE had to make a few changes. Most of the celebration will take place online or at home, with the exception of the community ofrenda. The community ofrenda is now open to the public at the art center, 1006 Penn, La Grande. All are welcome to place a photo or memento of a lost loved one on it (plan to pick up your item Día de los Muertos Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, Día de los Muertos is a Mexican national holiday that, despite its name, cele- brates the joys of life and of- fers an annual opportunity to honor loved ones who have passed. The tone of the Day of the Dead is playful and celebratory, and its traditions highlight the importance of family, both living and dead. The Art Center East Day of the Dead exhibit and activities are supported by a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation’s Latino Partnership Program. Día de los Muertos CELEBRATION Nov. 9-10). Papers will be available for writing a message, or you may bring your own. See the ofrenda with all of its candles lit on Friday, Oct. 30, from 4-6 p.m. “It feels especially relevant this year in the midst of a global pandemic to give the commu- nity a place to remember lost loved ones and refl ect on the transitory nature of life,” noted a press release from Art Center East. Rather than classroom art on the gallery walls this year, you are invited to leave your own contribution to our community art wall when you visit. Check back toward the end of the exhibit to see what others have added to the interactive art piece. New this year is a take-home component to the exhibit. Take-home kits will include art supplies and information for creating your own home ofrenda and other Día de los Muertos art, as well as four La Fiesta tamales and four “calavera” sugar cookies. After you complete your home ofrenda, sub- mit a photo of it by Nov. 3 and it will be included in ACE’s online virtual exhibit that launches Nov. 5. (Photos may be submitted to sarah@ artcentereast.org as a .jpg or .png fi le.) Take-home kits must be reserved in advance (call ACE at 541-624-2800 or go to https://art- centereast.org/product/take-home-kit). The kits are valued at $25 each. They are available for free (enter $0 on the reservation form) or what- ever price you can afford. Reserved kits may be picked up Friday, Oct. 30, at the art center. Art Center East / Contributed Photo ACE’s Day of the Dead celebration concludes ACE’s Day of the Dead celebration features with a virtual artist talk with Berenice Chavez, a community ofrenda honoring those who a recent Eastern Oregon University gradu- are no longer with us. ate and a talented emerging Mexican- American photog- We can help you on your fitness journey from home! rapher. Her work OUR CLASSES explores themes of 3 Buti Yoga 3 Pilates 3 Turbo Kick family, separation 3 Zumba 3 Muscle Mix 3 Functional Fit and loss. To RSVP for Boot Camp 3 Buti Bands 3 Barre Fusion this free event, go to https://artcentereast. org/calendar/artist- talk-with-berenice- chavez. WEEKEND OUTLOOK Artist talk Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life through the lens of loss. Berenice Chavez’s work mirrors this sentiment, ex- Chavez ploring family, love, separation and belonging with the photographs she takes of her undocumented family members. “My family and I are characters that play a role in a story of undoc- umented immigrants in American society,” Chavez says. “I photograph my mother every time I visit home. The process of developing, proofi ng, editing and printing the photographs are a way for me to make up for the time I cannot be with her. The perma- nence of the image solidifi es the life and identity my mother has made for herself in this country. For me, these photographs take the place of the legal citizenship that my mother does not have. They are proof that she belongs.” In this online artist talk, Chavez will present a slideshow of her work, sharing some of the stories behind the photographs. A time for Q&A with Chavez follows. It’s getting colder outside Contact us at: 541-663-6404 peaklifestylestudio.com PeakLifestyleStudio@gmail.com FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY High 61 Low 34 High 61 Low 32 High 59 Low 32 Partly sunny Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
