BELINDA BATH
Day of the Dead
Oaxaca, Mexico
Some journeys feel destined. Reaching Oaxaca for Día de los Muertos certainly did - even if it meant travelling more than 13,000 kilometres from Melbourne, missing a flight, and relying on the generosity of a fellow traveller who drove me from Los Angeles to Tijuana so I wouldn’t miss the start of the festival.
When I finally arrived, Oaxaca greeted me with colour, warmth and celebration. Marigolds perfumed the air, music echoed through the streets, and every corner felt alive with memory and meaning. It was impossible not to be swept up in it.
This montage is the third in my limited edition series (Marigold) - a vibrant fusion of photography, texture and symbolism. Hidden within the layers is a hummingbird, a creature deeply woven into Oaxacan culture. It’s believed to be a messenger of love and departed souls, carrying emotion between worlds. It also plays a vital role in the region’s ecology, pollinating the agave plants that shape so much of Oaxaca’s landscape and spirit. You’ll often find hummingbirds painted on the city’s walls, watching over the streets.
This piece honours all of that - the colour, the chaos, the kindness of strangers, the spiritual threads that run through Oaxaca, and the festival that celebrates life by remembering those who came before us.
Each work in this limited edition series is printed exclusively on German archival watercolour paper to preserve every hue and every detail. (Framed editions are available only in Hong Kong.)
A celebration of Oaxaca’s soul - vibrant, layered, unforgettable.
