I created this altar for my friend John Pitello who died in December 1993 from liver failure. The angel and demon on top of the boxes  were created from a cast of my own torso, arms and hands. The wings and the halo on the angel were cut from cardboard and covered with casting material to give  them strength. The horns on the demon were shaped and cast the same way then painted with acrylic paint. They signify the duality of good and evil that resides in all of us. We became friends at the age of 12  when we needed a bass player  for a rock and roll band we were starting. The box on your left that holds the angel is john’s life story and memories of mine as we grew up together. The box that holds the demon on your right  tells the story of john’s life as an adult and his final days in the hospital where he died. The painting in the middle is of the crucifixion with his mother Mary and Mary Magdalene at his feet, the two most important women of his life. The ritual of the Day of the Dead is to leave important  objects from the person’s life on the altar, in this case pictures that his young daughters drew for him. His favorite cowboy boots, his TV remote control  so he could watch Star Trek. Different fotos of him and his family.Marlboro cigarettes,  seltzer water, crystals, his funeral card and other objects that were important to him.

This altar was exhibited at the museum 9/15/1994 till 12/15/1994 and another one of my goals was achieved.