(Madrid, Spain, 1935 - )
1991 (printed 2008)
Digital pigment print
51 7/8 x 35 in. (131.8 x 88.9 cm)
Collection of the Akron Art Museum
Gift of the artist and the Evelyne Shaffer Endowment for Exhibitions
2008.32
Skeletons, skulls and other reminders of death are common in Mexico, where Day of the Dead celebrations are held annually on November 1 and 2. This ritual can be traced back almost 3,000 years to the indigenous peoples. In the pre-Hispanic era, it was common to display real skulls during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. Meyer’s title reminds us that no matter who governs us on earth, death rules us all eventually.