Item Description
This must-have crewneck sweatshirt is made with polyester created from recycled plastic and super soft, pill-resistant fleece.
Design Description
As I see you, I used to be. As you see me, you too shall be.
This Limited Edition design, by artist Daniel González was created in partnership with Self Help Graphics. A portion of all proceeds from the sales of this design will go toward SHG.
Inspired by the well known Aztec mask depicting the three stages of life, González’s version uses prints by Mexican artist Jose Guadalupe Posada, whose art featuring skeletons and skulls often addressed political and social issues of the day. Posada’s Catrina Calavera has become an iconic symbol of both Dia de Muertos and Mexico’s national identity. “His work is central in informing Chicanos about Día de los muertos in Los Angeles,” says González.
“I wanted to combine three different traditions; Indigenous, Spanish and Mexican. The Aztec mask served as the base for the collage, although I did reverse the order in which the faces peer through, and I combined it with a proverb found on catafalques Spain, “Como te veo, me vi. Como me ves, te verás” (As I see you, I used to be. As you see me, you too shall be). This same proverb can also be seen above the entrance to the museum where the Momias de Guanajuato (mummies of Guanajuato) are housed,” explains González.
Part of the mission of the Order of the Good Death is to support other nonprofit organizations that further the goals of the death positive movement. For this reason, we are proud to be raising funds for Self Help Graphics & Art in conjunction with the Mortals’ Market. Their commitment to lifting up and advocating for Chicano/a and Latinx art, artists, and culture vividly intersects with how grief, death, and mortality are approached in Chicano/a and Latinx communities the world over.
Founded in 1973 in the heart of East Los Angeles, Self Help Graphics & Art is dedicated to the production, interpretation and distribution of prints and other art media by Chicana/o and Latina/o artists. Their multi-disciplinary, inter-generational programs promote artistic excellence and empower the community by providing access to space, tools, training and capital.
Now, nearly a half century later, Self Help Graphics & Art continues to foster emerging Chicana/o and Latinx artists through its world-class printmaking practice and supports the role of artists as leaders, both within its organization and the community. For more information, visit www.selfhelpgraphics.com.