Lebanon Valley College Presents Art Lecture by Dr. Sandra Aguilar-Rodriquez on Nov. 4

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Dr. Aguilar-Rodriquez to give lecture about the Day of the Dead Celebration on Nov. 4 at 5 p.m.

ANNVILLE, PA (10/22/2014)(readMedia)-- Lebanon Valley College's Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery presents an art lecture by Dr. Sandra Aguilar-Rodriquez on the origins of the Day of the Dead and how it is celebrated in various parts of Mexico on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. in Zimmerman Recital Hall. This event is in conjunction with "Day of the Dead (El día de los muertos)," an exhibit on display through Dec. 14 at the Annville Gallery.

Dr. Aguilar-Rodriquez, assistant professor in Latin American history at Moravian College, will present a lecture "Celebrating the Dead: A Living Tradition." The lecture will particularly examine the meaning of the items incorporated into the offerings and altars, the role of important artists such as José Guadalupe Posada, and how this festivity is celebrated in Mexico City today.

Dr. Aguilar-Rodriquez graduated from the University of Oxford and the University of Manchester. Before arriving at Moravian, Dr. Aguilar-Rodriquez spent two years at Lehigh University as a postdoctoral fellow. Her research focuses on daily life, gender, class, food, and modernization in 20th century Mexico.

Dr. Aguilar-Rodriquez has works published in various journals and books, both in the United States and Latin America, including the "Radical History Review," "The Americas," and "Revista de Estudios Sociales," and edited the book "Technology and Culture in Twentieth Century Mexico." She is currently working on a book manuscript that examines how education, public policy, the mass media, migration, and industrialization transformed eating and consumption patterns in mid-20th century Mexico.

The Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery exhibition, "Day of the Dead (El día de los muertos)," on display through Dec. 14, will explore the significance of imagery connected to the Mexican celebration known as Día de los Muertos and its relationship to conceptions of death and family heritage both pre- and post-Spanish conquest. Día de los Muertos is a celebration in Mexico that is held from October 31 to November 2. Participants believe that the souls of the departed return each night to enjoy the food and flowers that the family has put out for them either on an ofrenda (altar) in their home or on their tomb in the cemetery.

LVC Gallery hours are Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m.; Thursdays from 1 to 4:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and by appointment for groups. Schools and other organizations are encouraged to contact the Gallery for a guided visit. Additional information is available at www.lvc.edu/gallery, gallery@lvc.edu, or 717-867-6445.