‘Viva la Vida’ an altar in homage to Frida Kahlo © 2015 is a mixed media installation commissioned by The New York Botanical Garden in collaboration with Celebrate Mexico Now Festival.

Visual artist Andrea Arroyo will create an installation that will intervene the reproduction of the pyramid from Frida’s house in Coyoacán, Mexico, which is currently on view at the exhibition FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory of The New York Botanical Garden.

The artist will use elements from the traditional Day of the Dead altars in Mexico, including hand-made, decorative skulls in tin and clay, papel picado, hearts, mirrors, candles, as well as food and drink offerings such as bread, fruit, water and tequila. Photographs, art supplies, notebooks, ribbons and Mexican textiles that relate to Frida Kahlo will also be integrated.

The altar will have plants and flowers used in traditional Day of the Dead festivities, like Cempasuchil, Cockscomb and a variety of succulents, already on display in the exhibition.