If a descendent of Hispanic culture, heritage, or lineage, one would immediately recognize what holiday entails placing calacas and calaveras(skeletons and skulls) upon a flowery shrine: Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. There’s no other event quite like the multi-day tradition, as it marks an honorable celebration of life through loss — remembrance in recalling those who are no longer with us.
This sentiment of searching, to trace one’s beginnings, is what Luz Mendoza of Y La Bamba sets out to transcribe within Marmoset’s latest artist profile video. It’s inward introspection of understanding, respect for one’s own journey.
In the latest chapter of our artist profile series, Luz opens her story to us, a message thoughtfully constructed through a struggle of genuine exploration and forgiveness — for her to then fiercely embrace. This is a woman who does not relent, opening doors, even when some are tender, digging deeper into self discovery.
It then makes sense why it’s essential to highlight this particular Y La Bamba performance that took place at Holocene on November 2nd. As with Dia de los Muertos, Luz equally shows there’s a visceral beauty in life and death, in both past and present. Where we travel to, but also from where we arrived.
