To Love and Be Loved In Return: Día de Los Muertos 2022

Dedicated to Janice Mirikitani

Now in its 23rd year, SOMArts’ annual Día de Los Muertos exhibition is one of the most internationally diverse Day of the Dead celebrations in the United States.

Founded by beloved San Francisco artist and curator René Yañez, Día de Los Muertos at SOMArts merges traditional altars with contemporary installations, continuing to be a multigenerational gathering of remembrance while asserting the role of art as a platform for collective action. Continuing the legacy of René Yañez’s work, curator Rio Yañez welcomes co-curator Anaís Azul to the exhibit.

This year, artists to reflect on how those we have lost have taught us to love and be loved in return. As we navigate a world troubled with war and injustice, we are more connected to each other than we ever thought possible. Love is the orchestrator connecting us to our departed and the action grounding our communities in healing.

To Love and Be Loved in Return: Día de Los Muertos 2022 exemplifies how the love between us and our dead continue to help us to navigate the world.

Photograph courtesy of Marvin K. White

This year’s exhibition is dedicated to Japanese American poet and educator Janice Mirikitani who advocated for the City’s historically marginalized communities. She was the San Francisco poet laureate from 2000–2002 and she has spent nearly 60 years with Glide Foundation, a “radically inclusive, just and loving community mobilized to alleviate suffering and break the cycles of poverty and marginalization”. Longtime exhibiting artist and community member Beth Benson will be creating an altar in her honor.

Architect
Nick Gomez

Gallery Hours
Saturday–Sunday
12:00–2:00 PM, 2:30–5:00 PM

Thursday–Friday
3:00–5:00 PM, 5:30–7:30 PM

To Love and Be Loved in Return: Día de Los Muertos 2022. Photography courtesy of Rich Lomibao