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Ronald Rodriguez and his aunt, Mari Martin, stand beside their ofrenda, “Empty Chairs,” which is on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts’ “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition.
Photo provided by the Detroit Institute of Arts
STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights resident Ronald Rodriguez is dedicated to art.
When he is not working as a clay sculptor at General Motors, he is an artist at the 333 Midland art studios in Highland Park.
And recently, he used his artistic talents — alongside his aunt, Taylor resident Mari Martin — to bring the memories of his deceased family members to life for display at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Rodriguez’s work, an altar called an ofrenda, is featured in this year’s edition of the Detroit Institute of Arts’ “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition.
The exhibit, which lasts until Nov. 5, is the fruit of a partnership among the DIA, the Mexican Consulate of Detroit, the Mexicantown Community Development Corp., and the Southwest Detroit Business Association.
Julie McFarland, the DIA’s executive director of public affairs and community engagement, said in a statement that the “Ofrendas” exhibition shows how the museum works with local artists.
The occasion also promotes awareness of Día de los Muertos, known as the Day of the Dead in English. The festival is a tradition common to Mexico, as well as some parts of the United States and Latin America, and it remembers and celebrates departed dear ones.
“This exhibition builds a sense of community as visitors identify with the reasons and ways people honor the deceased while collectively taking part in the act of remembering,” McFarland explained.
According to the DIA, Día de los Muertos lasts from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 and is based on the premise that the dead spend time with the living during the season. Skeletons, marigolds and food like sweet bread and sugar skulls are common motifs.
Ofrendas are another key part of Día de los Muertos. They are customized altars that reflect the lives and likes of the people they are dedicated to. According to the DIA, over a dozen ofrendas are on display at the exhibit.
Rodriguez and Martin’s ofrenda, titled “Empty Chairs,” has an umbrella-like canopy that resembles the sky. A skull-shaped container opens up into two hemispheres: One hemisphere remembers Greg Martin, Rodriguez’s uncle and Mari Martin’s husband. The other hemisphere is dedicated to Rodriguez’s mother, Paula Cecilia Rodriguez, who passed away in 2017.
The lower part of the ofrenda has 10 perches for pictures and mementos to honor other deceased family members, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, 53, said the ofrenda took around two months to build, and he started when he heard on social media about the DIA’s call for entries.
“I was aware of the exhibition at the DIA because I’ve been going there for some time,” he said. “The reason that I decided to try and get in there is, last year, my family lost three family members.”
Those three family members were Greg Martin; along with Jason Rodriguez, Ronald Rodriguez’s cousin; and Wanda Martin, Mary Martin’s mother-in-law.
Rodriguez credited Martin as a “very craftsy person,” and he said his own artistic background came in handy when picking colors that work together. He added that he has artistic experience doing multimedia work in a broad range of materials, including polycarbonate sheeting, wood and papier-mache.
“I’m very keen on leading a viewer’s eye around,” he added. “I pride myself on being able to capture someone’s attention from across the room.”
Rodriguez added that making the ofrenda was a form of therapy in a time of great pain.
“This is all about love and remembering these people,” he said.
The Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. in Detroit, is holding its 11th annual “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” exhibition until Nov. 5. Learn more by visiting dia.org/events/exhibitions/ofrendas. Learn more about 333 Midland in Highland Park by visiting 333midland.com.
