11/04/2025
Sometimes life hands you lemons & sometimes life hands you a glass of already prepped fresh squeeze lemonade. Last week, I heard on that the would be hosting a celebration of life for the long deceased Luis Buñuel, wherein his ashes would be on display on an ofrenda altar.
The event was fittingly surreal. There were 3 sheep in a small pen outside of the museum before the entrance. Funeral cards with Luis Buñuel's name and the words "Thank God I'm an atheist." were passed out to everyone in attendance at the free event. A traditional Mexican band with 4 nylon stringed guitarists in full garb played a few songs before the ofrenda ritual began. It was otherworldly to hear them tune up in the fully marble hall just next door that used to be part of the old Surgeon's College. The echoes almost felt like they were inside of my head. The sound was bouncing all over, it was almost hard to find the source at first.
The ritual began with 2 Franciscan monks who burnt copal in swinging censers along to what can only be described as ambient haunted house music. Guests were invited to leave cards with details of their dreams or an item of their choosing on the altar. People politely took turns placing their offering one by one. I placed some dried flowers & my friend gave up her evil Labubu. 😈 We thought Buñuel would have loved that. Just maybe. As soon as I stepped outside, I overheard the man in charge of the Buñuel estate say: "You know, he hated museums. Only took his son to one when he was alive. I think he would have liked the Surgical Science Museum, though, it's not traditional, and it's surreal."
After the event, a pop-up vendor was selling delicious hot tamales. When our group left, there was an additional sheep added to the outdoor pen to the other 3. There was a male sheep with small horns who had his head down in a bucket of hay, eating without abandon.
The exhibit, including this naked people needlepoint by Buñuel's wife, will be up for a while yet. Maybe you should hoof it over to The Surgical Science Museum to view it? At any rate, I highly recommend hopping on their mailing list.
