Denver Performing Arts Complex is looking pretty colorful right now with a stunning exhibition celebrating the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, aka Day of the Dead.
Catrinas en mi Ciudad is an outdoor exhibition held throughout the complex and features larger than life Catrinas (the tall female skeletons) and Calaveras (the highly decorated skulls) created by costume and set designer Ricardo Soltero and Cooperativa Jaen Cartoneria from Mexico City.
I love all of the color and the cultural aspects of the Catrinas and Calaveras, and especially enjoy the contrast of these pieces in such a modern, urban environment. Each pieces shines and adds a touch of wonder and delight to the complex.
The best part of this exhibition? It’s free!
Let’s take a look…
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The towering Catrinas can be found throughout the street level of Denver Performing Arts Complex, with displays at the 14th Street and 13th Street entrances, as well as at the end facing Sculpture Park. The Catrina by Sculpture Park features a stunning skirt made of marigolds and sits beneath a walkway of colorful Papel Picado banners that flutter in the breeze. It’s a pretty stunning site, especially with the mountains in the background.
Up on the mezzanine level, even larger again partial Catrinas can be found. These giant sculptures are a skeletal bust decorated in an explosion of colorful flowers and butterfly designs. One welcomes visitors to walk through the rib cage and take in the floral scene, while the other two are perched on corners overlooking the center walkway of the complex.
Also on the mezzanine level are a series of highly decorative Calaveras. Each skull has been painted in a variety of colorful designs that incorporate Mexican culture. You’ll also find a Calavera in the center of the complex at street level.
There are also Calaveras suspended from the balcony railings on the opposite side of the complex’s central walkway. These are decorated in a way that is much more reminiscent of the traditional sugar skulls that bear the same name.
My favorite Calaveras in the exhibition are three that are open at the back and decorated on the inside. To me, these particular Calaveras feel like the perfect cross over of tradition, culture and modernity. While they feature a very classic Mexican style, they’re painted in much more of a street art fashion, particularly on the inside. The inside of each feels like a mural, painted inside a skull rather than a flat wall, and if you’ve been here a while you’ll know that I’m a big fan of street art. Two of these particular Calaveras can be found on the mezzanine level, while the third is located at the center of the complex on the street level.
Catrinas en mi Ciudad is on display at Denver Performing Arts Complex through this Sunday, November 2nd 2025.
Denver Performing Arts Complex is located at 14th Street and Curtis Street in downtown Denver.
Paid parking is available on site.
For more information visit https://www.artscomplex.com/.
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