INSTALACIONES \ Installations

Each year, organizations across Washington commission Fulgencio Lazo and his team to create tapetes - intricate, temporary installations formed with loose pigments over a bed of sand - in celebration of Día de los Muertos.

One of the region’s largest annual celebrations takes place at the Seattle Art Museum. Lazo’s tradition at SAM began in 1995, when artist and museum staff member Carlos Contreras invited him to create a tapete to accompany a traditional Día de los Muertos altar. What began as an effort to share an Oaxacan art form grew into a beloved museum tradition, eventually inspiring celebrations throughout Seattle and beyond.

Today, Lazo’s installations bring together traditional tapete practices, contemporary social themes, painted wood sculpture, and community participation. These elaborate, large-scale environments honor the cultural foundations of Día de los Muertos while creating spaces for collective remembrance, reflection, and exchange.