Denver artist shares a dozen Día de los Muertos altars across Colorado

DENVER — A Denver artist is inviting the community to visit and interact with Día de los Muertos altars he crafted across Colorado.

“Día de los Muertos isn’t Halloween,” said Cal Duran. “It’s a celebration, and it’s full of color and vibrancy.”

Duran, born and raised in Denver, brings that color and vibrancy to art installations known as ofrendas, or altars. Ahead of celebrations on November 1 and 2, Duran built a dozen ofrendas across Colorado.

“These ofrendas that I’ve been doing in the community are about community,” he said.

Ofrendas are traditionally built to honor loved ones who have passed away. Unlike most art exhibits where you’re allowed to see but not touch, Duran invites Coloradans to interact with his altars.

“Anybody could add messages to the ofrendas for their loved one,” he said.

Duran first learned about Día de los Muertos celebrations as a teenager working with the Pirate: Contemporary Art and Chicano Humanities and Arts Council galleries.

“I didn’t really grow up with a specific culture. My mom was adopted, and my father was in and out of my life. So we didn’t really have a concrete idea of what we celebrate,” he said. “I just was really mesmerized by the ofrendas and how we get to honor our ancestors and our loved ones.”

Since then, Duran’s ofrenda installations have grown in number and scale.

“They get bigger and bigger. And they keep calling me back to do them,” he said.

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