Inside the National Museum of Mexican Art, there is a dining room table draped with a bright pink tablecloth and covered with orange marigold flowers. Placed atop it are lit candles, a rosary, crosses, a bottle of Centenario tequila and a microphone that belonged to artist Jorge Valdivia’s mother. 

Valdivia created this “ofrenda,” or altar, to honor his mom and to display it in “Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Remembrance,” one of several Day of the Dead exhibits and events at the Pilsen museum this year.

The museum, at 1852 W. 19th St., is free to the public and open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 25, the museum will host a Día de los Muertos Xicágo celebration from 3 to 8 p.m. with live music, art activities and performances and notable works, like Valdivia’s. 

Born and raised in Chicago, Valdivia faced academic difficulties growing up in an immigrant household. 

“I think it’s the traditional story of some children of immigrants whose parents don’t necessarily know how to motivate them academically,” Valdivia said.

Valdivia, a DePaul alum, is now the executive director of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance. Before that, he spent time as the director of performing arts at the museum.

Valdivia grew up with three siblings, one of which passed away from Covid-19 in 2020. 

“When somebody dies … (whom) you love dearly … you are desperately trying to find ways of paying them tribute,” said Valdivia. With the “weird time” of quarantine and extreme loss around the world, he felt unable to properly grieve his brother.

Later when he lost his mom, grieving looked different.

He created his mother’s ofrenda, “Flores para La Perla,” meaning flowers for the pearl, to process her death — a tradition that was absent from his Mexican household growing up. 

“Being able to do an ofrenda for her as part of Día de los Muertos allowed me to (grieve) and heal,” Valdivia said. “Some traditions we (grow) up with, and some are meant to be reclaimed (as a) process of migration.”  

The ofrenda is meant to represent the full version of his mother — a singer and songwriter who made their house a home, he said. The dining room set up is meant to resemble a kitchen, which is often seen as the heart of a home, just as he feels his mother was. Still, Valdivia recognizes that she was much more than that.

“When we fail to see our mothers as more than caregivers, more than wives, more than mothers, then we fail to see some of the things that happened in the kitchen that we have fond memories of,” Valdivia said. 

He recalled seeing his mother sing and dance in the kitchen while acknowledging moments when she cried there due to her struggles with depression and dementia.

Alejandro Colunga, a teacher at Back of the Yards College Preparatory High School, joined his students for a field trip to the museum. Colunga, who once worked there, said the Día de los Muertos exhibits are his all-time favorite. 

“I try to visit every year,” Colunga said. “It’s kind of like a tradition at this point.”

Colunga looked forward to watching his students connect with the ofrendas and gain new perspectives on life, death, joy and peace.

“I want them to start thinking about ways to honor life…,” he said. “We’re living in really dark times, and there’s a lot of loss of life.”

Diego Galloza, DePaul senior and former president of the Tepeyac, an organization for Latinx students, looks forward to joining Tepeyac members this weekend for their annual Día de los Muertos excursion to the museum.

“I honestly hope to keep this tradition alive and going for as long as I can, even past being a student, just because it’s really beautiful to see the artwork, see the ofrendas and visit the vendors,” Galloza said. 

Galloza thinks making ofrendas is a tradition everyone could try when honoring fallen loved ones.

Valdivia appreciates Día de los Muertos as a celebration of legacy — a chance to remember his mother’s musical art.

Valdivia included her “traje de charra,” the mariachi outfit she wore when performing, as a more personal touch to his piece. Sometimes, he visits the museum to spray her perfume scent around the ofrenda.

He also incorporated a mini altar near his mother’s ofrenda with photos of other people’s mothers that were sent to him via Instagram.

“I want people to feel inspired to pay tribute to their moms — to give them their flowers now while they still can … (and) see their mothers for whom they fully are — beyond mothers, beyond wives,” Valdivia said.

He encouraged everyone to ask their mothers questions about their dreams and to capture more moments and memories.