Today I came across work by the Texas based photographer, John Rees. This group of works is called 'Dia De Los Muertos.'
I became drawn to these images because of their powerful aptitude for solemness. The woman possess a dead stare in each image as her body is stiffly postured into a decorated porcelain doll. Yet I feel a strong sense of celebration, especially with the outdoor images as the sun light casts down. I am not as fond of the last photo with the two figures feels like a clothing advertisement because the woman on the right has her hip popped out, while the other stands rigid. As a body of work though I felt very connected the images as a whole.
http://www.behance.net/gallery/dia-de-los-muertos/274749
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These images brought me back to a dream I actually had this morning. I was sitting next to my grandmother in a room filled with people who had once known my grandfather. We were celebrating his passing, which was over five years ago. Many of the details are blurry but the climax of the dream was the moment when the noisy room of people became silent. From across the front to the back of the room where my grandmother and I were sitting, a yellow moth flew gracefully towards us. Everyone watched the moth as he danced around my grandmother and I, gracing our faces across our cheeks and past our ears. Then he disappeared after softly dancing past us. My grandmother and I knew that my grandfather was the yellow moth. In my a strange way that dream was our Dia De Los Muertos for my grandfather, Hilary Gustafson.
This week I heard the song 'Dog Days Are Over' by Florence and the Machine. The song is amazing and something about the lyrics and the instrumentals struck a nerve. Here is the link to the music video: 
