Dia de Los Muertos Exhibits

Mixed media installations

Nov. 2, 2023-2024

El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM

‘Consciousness Continues’
This contemporary ofrenda, is dedicated to those who have passed on due to cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in New Mexico, killing almost 3,500 people each year.
The artist has used what are referred to as ‘Thermoplastic Radiotherapy Masks’ as part of the ‘Dia de los Muertos’ installation. The artist feels it is important to address this issue of cancer that occurs to many Indigenous cultures. Here in New Mexico, Los Alamos is ramping up production of plutonium pits, a warhead part with documented health risks.
The extreme carelessness and tragedy that fell upon indigenous cultures here in New Mexico, included some who lived only 50 miles from the atomic test. It is horrific and should not be forgotten. Many of the marginalized people have poor access to clinics or hospitals that can help them. Danielle Prokop states ‘People have been dying ever since’: Anger mixes with hope for NM Downwinders. “Ancestral Puebloans in New Mexico suffered from unusually high rates of cancer due to high levels of radon radiation originating from the walls of their pit homes”, according to the article in icjournal.uga.ed.
The intent of this altar is to provide solace and hope for those of us who have lost ones to this horrific diagnosis. It is a reflection on the theory that our consciousness continues to evolve into light. Many scientists / physicists are now agreeing with ancient Indigenous cultures, which belief that we transition into another place. All things, from the electron, to cells, to tissue and hence our brains have what is called ‘systemic memory’ that continues to evolve and provide information for the next process, whatever it may be.
The artist believes that our consciousness will continue to evolve and grow into light beings. We are light beings, we are particles/waves made up of ‘photons’ which come from stars and hence is part of the physical nature of the universe.
After we experience death, we continue to evolve.
Contributed by Ramon F. Barela
Informed by.
‘TRANSCENDING THE SPEED OF LIGHT; CONSCIOUSNESS, QUANNTUM PHYSICW, AND THE FIFTH DIMENSION, by Marc Seifer, Ph. D.
‘THE LIVING ENERGY UNIVERSE’ by Gary E. R. Schwartz, Ph. D. & Linda G.S. Russek, Ph. D.