Each year, the Casa de México Foundation in Spain celebrates the Day of the Dead in style. The Altar of the Dead, which is inspired by the journey of the dead to the world of the living through the senses, can be visited from 4 October to 9 November. The 2025 altar is set in a Mexican cabaret, whose roots lie in the early decades of the 20th century, influenced by European cabaret, especially in France and Germany. In addition to the altar, the Foundation organises many other activities to discover more about this beautiful tradition.
As part of its mission to showcase Mexican traditions, the Casa de México Foundation in Spain is holding the eighth edition of its renowned Altar of the Dead. The 2025 edition presents an altar inspired by Mexican cabaret, whose roots lie in the early decades of the 20th century and which came to Mexico as a form of evening entertainment in cafés and lounges, but soon acquired its own character.
The design and coordination of the altar will be the responsibility of the architect and designer, Guillermo González, renowned for his ability to transform spaces into scenarios full of magic, elegance and originality. His approach stands out for his meticulous attention to detail, an innovative aesthetic vision and his command of the composition of colours, textures and shapes to achieve unique and sophisticated atmospheres.
This altar will not only honour those who have departed but it will also remind us that life, like the best of cabarets, must be lived singing, dancing and loving until the very end. Each of the elements evokes the presence of those souls that have not fully departed. Their laughter still floats in the air, their steps still mark the rhythm of their walking sticks and their memory shines like the last spotlight on the stage.
Life and Death (Casa de México Altar of the Dead 2024)
In 2024, the Casa de México Foundation in Spain was adorned from the façade to the second floor, including the stairways and hallways. The altar design and the transformation of the other spaces were based on the journey undertaken by the deceased, retracing their path from the world of the dead to the world of the living, and vice-versa.
The central piece of the altar was a 30-square-metre design by Maru Calva, inspired by the drawings of the master artisan Javier Martínez Pedro, which evokes the journey that begins with death and brings the deceased back to life, symbolised through the offering.
Duality is a recurring theme throughout the experience, echoing how pre-Hispanic cultures understood life and death: day and night, moon and sun, heaven and the underworld, which are reflected in the different staged spaces.
The duality of life and death was represented on the main façade by 40 marigolds crafted in the style of Acapulco chair weaving. The marigold symbolises the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Thanks to its colour and scent, it is one of the most representative elements of the offerings. The vibrant colour of this flower illuminates the way and the scent guides the souls to the altar. The façade was also decorated with 9 monumental skulls, emulating the polished clay technique.
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