The Ofrenda
Thu 18 Nov 2021 – Sat 19 Mar 2022
Zion Collective & The Grief Series
[Mexico / UK]An extraordinary installation that collects memories and photographs from around the world, commemorating and celebrating lost loved ones.
To celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico, people build ‘Ofrendas’ to remember friends, family and people of significance who they have lost. The word Ofrenda is Spanish for ‘offering’. Often brightly coloured and ranging in scale, these offerings take the form of displays with treasured photographs, flowers, candles, food and significant objects to mark the complex and beautiful lives of those who have passed on from this world.
This particular Ofrenda is being created in collaboration between artists from Zion Studio in Mexico City and Ellie Harrison from The Grief Series in Leeds, as a gift to the city at an extraordinary moment in time. In spite of the challenges of the last couple of years, and the fact that Zion’s Studio was transformed into a vaccination centre during the heat of the pandemic, artists from Zion Studio and The Grief Series have maintained a deep trans-Atlantic digital dialogue.
The results of this international collaboration will culminate in an ever-evolving, soul-bearing installation encompassing the breadth of windows of CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire. Passers-by will be able to stop by and connect with stories and memories from across the city and the globe.
A reflective and commemorative gift to the city – The Ofrenda encourages passers-by out of the hustle of the everyday and offers a moment for remembrance and contemplation.
This incredible installation was unveiled on Thursday 18 November 2021. People across Leeds and beyond are invited to share a photo or memory, immortalising their loved ones within this cathartic, collaborative installation.
Commissioned by Transform, as part of Festivals of the Future. Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. Supported using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Supported by Leeds 2023, 101 Outdoor Arts and CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire.
Pay what You Can
As part of our commitment to inclusion and accessibility, Transform is trialling a Pay What You Can ticket model. With options ranging from £0-£25, audiences can select their chosen ticket price based on their individual financial circumstances.
Audiences are invited to select the pricing level that best applies to them. To give you some guidance, we have included a recommended ticket price and further guidance details can be found here.