A hauntingly familiar theme is back in The Gallery of Lakeland. The show, titled “The Skull and Skeleton in Art VI: Folk Art to Pop Culture” runs from Sept. 19, 2019, through Nov. 8, 2019.The gallery is located on the first floor of the D-Building on Lakeland’s campus, at 7700 Clocktower Dr., Kirtland, Ohio, 44094. All shows are free and open to the public.

Always a fan favorite, the biennial skeleton show, curated by Mary Urbas, turns the gallery into a crazy collection of every kind of skeleton art imaginable. The exhibition first graced the gallery in 2009 as a means to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, an integral part of the art and culture of Mexico, and otherwise known as the “Day of the Dead.” The show started with 18 artists, but has grown to host over 100 national, regional and local artists representing a variety of media including oil/ acrylic/watercolor painting, textiles/fiber, printmaking, drawing, photography, digital art, sculpture, glass, wood, ceramics/ceramic sculpture, mixed media, assemblage art and jewelry. Many items are available for sale.

In addition to the show, an artist reception, costume party, Boneyard Market and benefit auction is slated for Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, from 6-9 p.m. in the gallery. The Boneyard Market will feature artist vendors who will be selling skull and skeleton-themed items. A benefit auction will also be held at the reception where skulls that were decorated by 26 noted artists from Ohio, Michigan and Indiana will be sold with the proceeds benefiting future art gallery programs and exhibitions.

About Dia de los Muertos
Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that invites participants to acknowledge the fact that death is a constant companion from birth, not to be feared, but to be joked with and accepted as a friend. Latin American artists have used Mexican skull art for the celebration of Dia de los Muertos for centuries, and the holiday is traditionally celebrated Nov. 2. The gallery’s timely exhibit coincides with the popular use of skulls and skeletons for Halloween and with Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

“It’s about embracing life and death and our mortality,” said Mary Urbas, Lakeland Fine Art Gallery Coordinator, Exhibit Curator and life-long collector of skull art and artifacts. “I took a life changing trip to Mexico in the early 90s and embraced its cultural diversity and folk art. The rest, as the saying goes is history,” said Urbas.

About the gallery

The Gallery at Lakeland presents several art exhibitions each year, in addition to an annual Holiday Artists’ Market, which benefits the Lakeland Visual Arts Student Exhibition. These exhibitions support and advance recognition of Lakeland’s fine arts academic programs; diversity efforts at the college; community arts groups; and local, regional and national artists.

Children 14 years of age and younger should be under adult supervision.

For more information about the show, tours or the gallery, contact Mary Urbas, gallery coordinator at murbas@lakelandcc.edu or call 440.525.7029.

Gallery Hours:

Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Weekends, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

By: Jeri Pilarczyk