Mexic-Arte Museum honors National Hispanic Heritage with ofrendas and art

By: Analisa Flores

Analisa Flores, Reporter|October 18, 2021

“Ofrenda Típica de Michoacán” and created by Maria Eugenia Flores

National Hispanic Heritage month runs from Wednesday, Sept. 15 to Friday, Oct. 15. The Mexic-Arte Museum located in downtown Austin features multiple exhibits centered around Día de los Muertos also known as Day of the Dead.

The main ofrenda at the museum is the “Ofrenda Típica de Michoacán,” created by Maria Eugenia Flores. The altar features many traditional features like “earth, wind, water and fire”

The Earth is represented by fruits. Flores believed the aroma of the harvest feeds the souls. Wind is represented by the papel picado (paper banners) that move with the breeze. Water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after its long journey. Fire is represented by the candles. A lit candle represents each soul, and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul. Salt is also an ingredient placed at the altar signifying purification.

The ofrenda features earth, fire and salt in the shape of a cross. (Analisa Flores)

Earth Day: Flora and Fauna of the Hilltop

The members of BSA attending the event took great pains to ensure everyone felt welcome and comfortable. They spoke to those passing by the table and encouraged them to participate, and when people arrived to paint they gathered all the necessary materials.

BSA Paint Night fosters creativity and community

“As photo majors, we spend most of our undergraduate career preparing for this show,” Ariah Abla said. “As a photography and religious study major, making work that was worthy of being put on a wall and that combined my two lives was important for me; it was a mark in my personal journey and also a celebration of what it means to be alive.”

Eye to Eye: The Photographic Showcase of 6 Diverse Powerful Women

Halfway through the march, students had the opportunity to show their support by writing messages of empowerment to survivors. The notes were hung in a tree outside of Trustee Hall as a visible sign of solidarity.

St. Edward’s Community Takes Back the Night

Emily Nichols, the vice president of PRIDE, said the event was for “queer adults who didn’t get to experience prom or who didn’t get to experience prom as themselves.”

Students get their groove on at PRIDE club’s first Queer Prom

Life And Arts / Art

A snapshot of “Dancing with Trees” featuring one of the dancers from the dance group BLiPSWiTCH and a forest nymph whose eyes would blink on the screen.

Treespell: An immersive, breathtaking art display inspired by the Greek myth of Artemis.

Pages 5 and 6 of volume one of “Creepy Creatures.” These artists decided to use the separate layers to draw different but complementary subjects. The spider in purple is weaving the web in green; the ghost in green seems to be coming from the knife in purple. Each artist took their own approach to having two separate but connected layers.

Graphic design club educates students on artistic processes with Halloween-themed workshop

Displayed among the gallery walls are the works of John Patrick Cobb, an alumnus who began the process of these works while embarking on a spiritual and artistic endeavor dating back to the 1980s when Cobb first arrived at the hilltop.

A 40 year homecoming, alumnus John Patrick Cobb debuts ethereal art exhibition

Two students who stopped by for the presentation stop and take in the colorful creations by Harvey.

Visiting ceramic artist gives insight on her successful career

A snapshot of the clay animation featured in Cornews second short film.

Senior screening showcases an array of short films from photography majors

Comments (0)

Hilltop Views has a zero tolerance policy for hate speech of any kind. Comments that express prejudice against a particular group — especially on the basis of race, religion or sexual orientation — will not be tolerated. Do not resort to violent or personal attacks, especially those that include foul language. You can disagree with a story, but libel and defamation will not be tolerated. Spam comments will not be published and may result in an immediate ban from making future comments on our site. Maintain privacy. Do not comment yours or anyone’s personal information. If a comment is determined to have violated the guidelines listed above, it will not be published. We encourage you to follow our guidelines and engage in productive conversations revolving around our stories. Please refer to our Media & Ethics Policy on our website for more information.

Share your thoughts...

All Hilltop Views Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest