About the project
VivaCalaca!! is an animation project directed and animated by the art director and designer Ritxi Ostáriz, from Bilbao, at the top north of Spain. Ritxi Ostáriz is specialized in graphic and editorial design as well as art direction. Most of his projects are related with the music business, as cd covers or posters for international artists, producers and labels. It should also be mentioned the art direction for different events and festivals, and the design of books, magazines and other print stuff.
He is also known for the direction of motion graphics videos, with a large list of projects made for tv channels and producers. In addition, Ritxi Ostáriz was the Director of the Motion Graphics Master at Istituto Europeo di Design (Madrid), in 2008/09.
VivaCalaca!! was created in 2008, and it is based on the Day of the Dead, celebrated every November 2nd in most of Mexican villages. The soundtrack of the video was edited from the song 'Day of the Dead' by the American singer and composer Voltaire, appearing on his album 'Ooky Spooky', released in 2007.
But, what is exactly the Day of the Dead?
The Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 1st and 2nd in connection with the Catholic holiday of All Saints' Day which occurs on November 1st and All Souls' Day which occurs on November 2nd. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts.
Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years, and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.
Similar holidays are celebrated in many parts of the world; for example, it's a public holiday (Dia de Finados) in Brazil, where many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their loved ones who have died. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe and in the Philippines, and similarly-themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.
Text taken from the Wikipedia. See the full page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead.