Day of the Dead lecture at Lam Museum

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m., Mathew Sandoval, associate teaching professor at Arizona State University’s Barrett the Honors College, will present “Day of the Dead: From Ancient Ritual to Hollywood Spectacle” at the Lam Museum of Anthropology.

For centuries Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico and the U.S. have functioned primarily as a form of ritual or festival. However, in cities like Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Michoacán and elsewhere, Day of the Dead is now staged as a form of spectacle. 

Local celebrations of the holiday are increasingly highlighted on television, the internet, social media, and virtual reality and tend to simulate Hollywood productions. Sandoval will discuss what these transformations mean for the future of Day of the Dead, and how they affect the meaning and integrity of our cultural heritage.

Sandoval’s lecture is presented in conjunction with the Lam Museum’s annual exhibit “Life after Death: Celebrating Day of the Dead,” which features an all-new interpretation this year.

While on campus, he will visit with Wake Forest’s Organization of Latin American Students, and speak in Spanish and anthropology classes. 

Sandoval’s visit is co-sponsored by the Department of Spanish, the Department of Anthropology, the Latin American and Latino Studies program, and the American Ethnic Studies program.