Las Muertas: Deadly Beauties Pose In Colorful Tribute To Day Of The Dead

Mictecacihuatl earned the title Lady of the Dead when she was sacrificed as an infant, but California-based photographer Tim Tadder brings her back to life in this haunting photo series called ‘Las Muertas.’ Inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead, the choice of skull-painted women pays subtle homage to the festival’s Aztec roots where Mictecacihuatl, the goddess of the underworld, was worshipped.

Tadder’s photos, created with the help of makeup artist Krisztianna and costume designer Julia Reeser, are indeed worthy of worship. The vibrant colors of these Persephones mark the subject as important, the symbolism suggesting something deadly and beautiful– but their faces are casual, indifferent, or curious. They walk the land of the dead as its mistresses, but their relationship with their surroundings is impersonal.

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Julija Nėjė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I joined Bored Panda as an image editor back in 2014, during its early stages. It's been quite a journey since then! Over time, I transitioned through different roles until I eventually became the Content Lead. In this position, I now oversee the creation of the viral content published here on Bored Panda. While my primary focus lies in raising awareness about important social issues like gender and race equality, as well as mental health topics, I also enjoy sharing lighter content, such as memes, cat images and intriguing world curiosities...