Day of the Dead full of life

The Peabody Museum’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration is always a spirited affair – with its live marimba music, bouquets of flowers, and powerful images. But last week’s event, hosted by the museum and the Consulate General of Mexico, was particularly dynamic, featuring two inspirational altar installations created by artist Eric Estrada Gasca of Mexico City. The Peabody observance took place on Nov. 1, the traditional date for this holiday that combines pre-Hispanic rituals and beliefs with Catholic practices and symbols.Artist Gasca (center) talks with Lybia Rivera (right), a grad student, and Astrid Galvan, an Extension School student.A skeleton relaxes.Eric Estrada Gasca’s altar installations are on view in the Peabody Museum’s 3rd floor galleries, 11 Divinity Ave., through November. Call (617) 496-1027 or visit http://www.peabody.harvard.edu for more information.Guests mingle.Each of the small sugar skulls on one of the altars carries the name of a victim of a recent disaster.