JEROME, AZ.- Through the month of October, 2012, 15.quince grill & cantina in Jerome, Arizona, hosts an exhibition of original broadsheets featuring calavera images by Mexican engraver Jose Guadalupe Posada.
In the century following his death in 1913, Posada has become one of the most revered artistic voices of the Mexican people. His work is now recognized around the world, and he continues to influence artists today. The most cherished of his images are the animated skeletons, or calaveras, which he created for the annual celebration of the Day of the Dead.
Posada’s calaveras were produced for the Mexico City printer Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, and were published in the form of broadsheets. These poster-like sheets were printed on very thin paper, often of poor quality, to be sold for a few centavos. They were printed for the common people, and were not intended to last. Combining text and image, these broadsheets offered reflections on mortality for the Day of the Dead, that brief time at the beginning of November when the realms of the living and the dead were felt to be closest to one another.
Roughly a third of Posada’s calaveras appear in this exhibition. His choice of subjects for the calaveras varied widely, from humble food vendors and artisans to fictional characters like Don Quixote. Political figures of the day, such as Emiliano Zapata, and even Posada’s publisher, Don Antonio, appeared during their lifetimes as skeletons in Posada’s art. Also present are several examples by Manuel Manilla (who influenced Posada) and one by an unknown artist whose work appeared immediately after Posada’s death.
Vlad Costa’s 15.quince grill and cantina opened in March of 2009. It was included in Arizona Highways - Top Restaurants of 2012, and has been featured in Sedona Monthly and on the PBS show Check Please! 15.quince serves a New Mexico cuisine arising from a unique blend of influences. New World corn, beans and chilis combine with Old World garlic and onions. This synthesis of Spanish, Mexican and Native American cooking has been simmering together for 500 years, creating regional flavors so distinctive that they are now known the world over!
