Tláhuac, Mexico City — In celebration of Dia de Muertos, residents in the municipality of Tláhuac woke to find death emerging from its streets. Day of the Dead, which runs November 1 and 2 across Mexico, got an early start this year in the city by a local artist.
The large skeletons, which appear to be emerging from the city street, appeared again this year after an expressed interest from the same display last year. This year though, city officials authorized the artistic display in the center of Tláhuac.
Initially, the skeletons were displayed in a residential area, however, Brenda Lozano, a member of the artistic team said “the mayor of Tláhuac contacted us and the exhibition will move to the Center of Tláhuac.”
The giant skulls, which are made of cardboard and simulate their rising out of the concrete, were conceived by Raymundo Medina as a project to encourage cultural conservation in children in the Santa Cecilia colony.
The images became viral on social networks after they were thought to have been placed in existing potholes, however, Lozano explained that the streets are not in poor condition and that in reality, gravel from a nearby remodeling job was used to give the illusion.
“They are not potholes. Ray made these skulls using the rubble of a house,” Lozano explained.
The skeletons, which are located “in” Francisco Santiago Borraz Street, measure approximately 3.5 meters in length and two meters high and took about one year to create. Lozano said they began the street assembly on October 26, a project that takes two days to place.
She noted that in the event of rain, the skulls need to be quickly removed, but if the weather stays favorable, the giant skulls will remain in place.
This is the eighth year they have created giant skulls for the street.