The Ofrenda - Zion Collective (Mexico) & The Grief Series (UK)

To celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico, people build ‘Ofrendas’ to remember friends, family and people of significance who they have lost. The word Ofrenda is Spanish for ‘offering’. Often brightly coloured and ranging in scale, these offerings take the form of displays with treasured photographs, flowers, candles, food and significant objects to mark the complex and beautiful lives of those who have passed on from this world.

This particular Ofrenda is being created in collaboration between artists from Zion Studio in Mexico City and Ellie Harrison from The Grief Series in Leeds, as a gift to the city at an extraordinary moment in time. In spite of the challenges of the last couple of years, and the fact that Zion's Studio was transformed into a vaccination centre during the heat of the pandemic, artists from Zion Studio and The Grief Series have maintained a deep trans-Atlantic digital dialogue.

The results of this international collaboration will culminate in an ever-evolving, soul-bearing installation encompassing the breadth of windows of CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire. Passers-by will be able to stop by and connect with stories and memories from across the city and the globe.

A reflective and commemorative gift to the city – The Ofrenda encourages passers-by out of the hustle of the everyday and offers a moment for remembrance and contemplation.

This incredible installation is being presented as part of Transform 21-22, and will be unveiled on Thursday 18 November 2021. From that day onwards, people across Leeds and beyond are invited to share a photo or memory, immortalising their loved ones within this cathartic, collaborative installation.

Book Now for The Ofrenda Gathering, a special event at CLAY on Thursday 18 November 2021 from 7.30pm-9pm. Marking the unveiling of The Ofrenda, this gathering will offer an exclusive insight the creation of this extraordinary project. Join us to toast the start of The Ofrenda and consider sharing your memory.

Presented as part of Transform 21-22 – an extended festival for our times – transformfestival.org

Tickets: No ticket required for the installation, just show up!

Tickets for The Ofrenda Gathering are Pay What You Can – options ranging from £0-£25 (recommended price £5)

Duration: This is an installation that runs from Thursday 18 November 2021- Saturday 19 March 2022. Just show up at any point to see the installation from the outside of CLAY. 

The Ofrenda Gathering on Thursday 18 November runs from 7.30pm-9pm.

Advisory Information: This artwork deals with peoples lived experienced of loss and bereavement.

Access: The artwork can be viewed from street level and is touch free. For The Ofrenda Gathering at CLAY, there is a single step access to a single door that opens into the venue. The door is 32 inches wide. CLAY has a metal ramp for the step which front of house staff will put out on request. CLAY has two gender-neutral toilets which are down a flight of twelve steps. Unfortunately, there is no lift in the building. Besides the toilets, the rest of the building is on one floor. If you have any access questions or concerns, please contact info@transformfestival.org

Credits: Commissioned by Transform, as part of Festivals of the Future. Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. Supported using public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Supported by Leeds 2023, 101 Outdoor Arts and CLAY: Centre for Live Art Yorkshire.