Larger Than Life Día de los Muertos Art Installation Featuring La Catrina Sculptures Comes to the Iconic Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier

 Saturday, October 31 - Monday, November 2

Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM) and the Santa Monica Pier Corporation are honoring Día de los Muertos, highlighting the traditional Mexican cultural celebration of life and death, with a larger than the after-life art installation on Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier. Sculptures of La Catrina, one of Día de los Muertos’ most recognizable figures, by Los Angeles-based artist Ricardo Soltero will be viewable at nine locations throughout the Promenade and four locations on the Pier beginning Saturday, October 31 - Monday, November 2.
La Catrina sculptures by artist Ricardo Soltero. Photo courtesy of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Soltero’s iconic sculptures of La Catrina range up to 14 feet in height and welcome guests to the Promenade and Pier in brightly colored traditional Mexican attire inspired by Day of the Dead traditions and Mexican icons and embroidery. La Catrina was first born out of Mexican social satire and has become a well-known figure in celebration of the holiday.

A portion of this art installation is funded by the City of Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Art of Recovery initiative, a grant program dedicated to funding projects by local artists and highlighting the important role arts and culture plays in recovery efforts as they strengthen and connect Santa Monica.

DTSM and the Santa Monica Pier remain committed to ensuring the health and safety of the community, visitors, and staff. Face coverings are required when visiting the art installation on Third Street Promenade and on the Santa Monica Pier and all guests are encouraged to practice physical distancing. Each art piece will be properly spaced out to ensure there is enough room to view them safely. For more information on the new health and safety guidelines as well as details on what to expect when visiting the Third Street Promenade or the Santa Monica Pier, please visit downtownsm.com and santamonicapier.org.

WHEN:
Saturday, October 31 - Monday, November 2
Third Street Promenade sculptures to be on display from 10 am - 8 pm

WHERE:
La Catrina sculptures are viewable at nine locations on Third Street Promenade and four locations on the Santa Monica Pier.

PARKING:
Parking is widely available in the downtown structures including the Santa Monica Public Library or Parking Structures 9 and 10 just north of Wilshire Boulevard. Biking, walking and public transit are encouraged.

MORE INFORMATION:
For more information, visit downtownsm.com or follow @DTSantaMonica on Instagram and Twitter or DowntownSantaMonica on Facebook.


About Ricardo Soltero
Mexican artist Ricardo Soltero is the director and stage-set designer behind the largest Day of the Dead celebration in the United States, which takes place annually at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Born in Nayarit, Mexico, Ricardo has introduced color and culture to exhibits and fundraisers throughout the country with papier-mâché, wood, fiberglass, recycled materials and most importantly, his heritage at the forefront of each piece.

Ricardo’s current and ongoing creative project collaborations include: the annual Hollywood Forever Día de los Muertos celebration, Meet Me at the Metro, the 20-year running play of Frida Kahlo with the Synergy Theatre Group, 24th Street Theatre set design, Semblanza Latinoamericana, The Autry Museum, East L.A. Meets Napa, Denver Botanic Gardens, Santa Clarita Valley Festival for Day of the Dead, La Vista Memorial Park’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration, UNICEF’s Annual Gala, and the Metropolitan Fashion Show.

About Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM, Inc.)
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. is a private non-profit 501c(3) that works with the City of Santa Monica to manage services and operations in Downtown Santa Monica that promote economic stability, growth and community life within Downtown Santa Monica. DTSM, Inc. manages the Property-based Business Assessment District (PBAD) that encompasses the area bounded by Ocean Avenue (W), Wilshire Boulevard (N), Lincoln Boulevard (E) and the Santa Monica Freeway (S). For more info, please visit DowntownSM.com or follow us on Instagram and Twitter @dtsantamonica or Facebook at DowntownSantaMonica.

About Santa Monica Pier
A historic landmark and world-renowned cultural institution, the Santa Monica Pier is a public space approximately the size of a three block city street, features a theme park, an aquarium, a trapeze school, an arcade, eight restaurants, six stores, thirteen vendor carts, fishing, a 104-year-old merry go-round and 20+ street performers. Add to this year-round free-and-open-to-the-public programming, major branded activations, art installations and more, it’s easy to see why 10-12 million people visit the Pier each year. It’s a welcoming place for all to celebrate and serves to enrich the lives of Santa Monica residents and visitors alike. For more information, visit santamonicapier.org.

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