Flor de Almas

Anne Frankplantsoen

The four meter tall blue skull framed by a lush orange flower can be seen from far away. Flor de Almas (Flower of Souls) is a traditional Mexican Día de Muertos skull that glows like a beacon in the night. With this work, Trafficlight of Mexico Art Collective shows us what their Day of the Dead is truly about: celebration, remembrance and above all reflecting on the continuity of life.

The colors and motifs on the skull come directly from Mexican folk art and traditional Talavera ceramics. You see joyful details: flower petals around the temples, a rosette on the crown and festive accents along the jaw and cheekbones. The warm white light in the eye sockets and nose recalls the gentle glow of candles on an altar. The blue neon highlights the jawline and the decorative seams, suggesting the calm of the night. A programmable RGB system shifts through different traditional Mexican colors: Mexican pink, turquoise, lime, violet and amber, a soft transition like slow breathing. At the base, a circular foundation of glowing cempasúchil (marigolds) in traditional orange forms the heart of the work. This is important, because in Mexico people believe that marigolds guide returning loved ones with their color and scent.

Through this work, Anne Frank Square is transformed into a shared ofrenda, a welcoming place where memories are honored in public. You are invited to take part.