In Mexico, 'death' lurks around every corner

Artist Isaac Cordal is perhaps best known for the image below. His signature art installations of miniature figurines interacting in a real world landscape, inspire people to reflect on topics ranging from capitalism to the environment.

Cordal also incorporates the subject of death in his work. In 2013, the Spanish artist traveled to southern Mexico during the country’s traditional Day of the Dead celebration. Captivated by the relationship of Mexicans with death, Cordal created a series of installations showing the country’s signature calaveras tucked into hidden corners throughout the state of Chiapas.

Cordal’s imagery not only pays homage to Mexico’s upcoming Day of the Dead on Nov. 1 and 2, but also serves as a powerful reminder of the country’s drug war that has led to thousands of disappearances and the grim discovery of numerous mass graves.

“Political decisions are to blame for violence in modern societies,” Cordal told me. “Death in general is a taboo, but it’s by our side, latent, reminding us how ephemeral our existence is. We tend to forget about it by living in the present and trying not to worry about the future. Chiapas is a beautiful place with good people. I wanted to show through my work the forgotten corners of the street.”

The artist said he uses small figures to highlight details.

“Reducing the scale of things helps transform the city into a huge decoration,” Cordal said. “It allows me to use all its urban resources; ponds, holes, ruins, etc. This miniature world seeks to be a critical reflection about our ideas of progress and the fragile social fabric that we’ve built around capitalism, which enriches some and impoverishes others.”

Images are of artist’s 2013 work in Chiapas, titled “Cement Eclipses”