Los Muertos Nunca Mueren
Katina Alexopulos
Los muertos nunca mueren
The dead never die.
Their traces can be seen and felt everywhere.
Through the smell of humid Texas air.
Through new generations of primos running in the yard laughing as the elders celebrate the life of one’s passing.
Through the forlorn patriarch who still lives another day without his beloved esposa of 67 years.
Through photographs hung on the walls of the house, so many generations of family lived, including a teenage mother shortly after giving birth to her first-born daughter.
They live on through us.
They live on within us.
This series recounts mine and my mother's visit back home to Taylor, TX, days shortly after my bisabuela’s (great-grandmother) passing in September 2020. Each diptych displays traces of her left behind through moments of reconnection among family members, the town she raised her family in, random items that once belonged to her, and the memories of her still within our hearts. Amid the pandemic, our family was gifted the opportunity to reconnect after so many years through her passing. As we said goodbyes to her, we also welcomed each other with open arms, as if the years spent apart seemed insignificant. We shared stories, laughter, and tears. Though the event that brought us together was a mournful one, it was a time of reconnection and celebration. It was her final gift to us, and for that she will live on through us.
Image courtesy of the artist.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Katina Alexopulos
Katina Alexopulos is a film photographer based out of San Francisco CA. Whether she's photographing fashion editorials or documenting the streets, Katina's work focuses on topics pertaining to cultural, social, and personal identity. In 2019 she received a BFA in photography at the Academy of Art University with emphases in commercial photography and documentary film portraiture.
Website: alexopulosphotography.com
Instagram: @kma_photo
Twitter: @kma_photo
