The Chicano Humanities & Arts Council (CHAC) is proud to announce the opening of Blooming Through the Spirit of Cempasúchil: A Día de los Muertos Art Exhibition, on October 2nd from 5:00–9:00 p.m. at the CHAC Gallery, located at 834 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204. Exhibition on view from October 2-November 15, 2026.
“The cempasúchil has long served as a bridge between the living and the dead, its color and scent said to guide spirits home each Día de los Muertos. This exhibition draws on that meaning: death not as an ending, but as a continuation held within cycles of memory, color, and return. The artists gathered here approach that threshold from different angles and mediums, each finding their own way to honor presence within absence. Together, the works ask us to sit with grief and joy at once the way the marigold does, opening again and again toward the light. Blooming Through the Spirit of Cempasúchil is an invitation into that in-between,” curator Sonia Del Real.
For more than 50 years, CHAC, among other organizations, has played an important role in nurturing and establishing Día de los Muertos traditions in Denver, helping pave the way for the vibrant and diverse Día de los Muertos celebrations that take place throughout the city today.
Día de los Muertos is a time of remembrance, celebration, and community—a time to honor the gifts, traditions, love, and paths left by those who have passed on. At its core, this beautiful tradition is brought to life by the community, and CHAC is proud to continue holding space for people to come together, celebrate cultural traditions, and honor those who came before us.
Blooming Through the Spirit of Cempasúchil brings together artists whose work explores the many dimensions of remembrance, identity, loss, love, renewal and the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos. This exhibit is composed of both CHAC and community artists; their different voices and mediums.
CHAC Gallery & Cultural Center (https://www.chacgallery.org) was founded in 1978 by a group of visual and performing artists. The organization was established as a place where Chicano/Latino artists were provided with a venue to explore visual and performance art and promote and preserve Chicano/Latino culture through the expression of the arts. CHAC is an inclusive community of creatives who are dedicated to preserving, showcasing, educating, and reflecting the essence of Chicano/a/x, Latino/a/x and other multicultural/multiracial communities.