Laura Anderson Barbata: Reposo y Recuerdo (Rest and Remember)

The artist Laura Anderson Barbata transforms Green-Wood Cemetery’s landmark Historic Chapel into a glowing, participatory artwork: Reposo y Recuerdo (Rest and Remember), on view October 11–November 16.
Blending sculpture, performance, and community ritual, Barbata invites visitors into a luminous ofrenda, an immersive space adorned with handwoven hammocks, cascades of papel picado and paper marigolds, and personal offerings contributed by the public. The installation continues her long-standing practice of collaboration with Mexican artisans and engagement with ancestral memory, ecology, and social justice.
Far more than a static artwork, Reposo y Recuerdo evolves with each visitor’s participation, becoming a collective act of remembrance and renewal. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the altar by bringing their own tributes: photographs, handwritten notes, flowers, or keepsakes. The artist has also created more opportunities to contribute, such as inviting visitors to write personal memories on a red ribbon or to decorate a blank calavera (skull).
“This ofrenda is a living work of art, shaped by the participation of every visitor. Each ribbon tied and every skull colored becomes part of a collective gesture of remembrance and care,” said artist Laura Anderson Barbata.