[Photographer David Cea brilliantly captures multiple mysterious aspects of Día de los Muertos. A time for honoring family and loved ones who have passed on. A vivid memento mori, reminding us we are all mortal, having to face death before passing beyond our mortal coil. A celebration that can help bring unity—e pluribus unum—highlighting our shared humanity. -Encomia]
A Photo Essay by David Cea
Quietly I walked through the streets full of people, full of people honoring and celebrating in different ways their loved ones who passed away. Celebrating the inevitable, Death, passing on—Death and transcendence as part of life.
Intentionally and quietly, I walked slowly, squeezing among the people to contemplate and let myself be embraced by the values that have always amazed me about our culture: Human warmth, Family, Community, El Barrio, Time and Space, Celebration and Joy. The sense of “we are all equal and one day we are all going to die.”
I didn’t feel like taking pictures that day so as not to lose the true sense of being there, but anyway, I photographed until I recognized myself as one with everyone.
I hope that these photographs can draw us back to this day and inspire us to share and live and not to merely consume.
David Cea is a photographer based in Washington, DC, and online at instagram.com/dac.fotos and dacphotos.com. Sketching his photographic sensibility, David says: “My eyes are naturally attracted to the beauty of everyday life, natural and spontaneous, our life with all its moments, its colors, and details, life as is. I am fascinated by the natural light, the light meeting the darkness, contrasts.”
© David Cea
ENCOMIA 