Sophy Tuttle
Ofrendas for a Dying Planet, 2019
Multicolored recycled paper

In October 2019, the public art project Ofrendas for a Dying Planet was implemented in conjunction with a Dia de los Muertos altar created by artist Rosalba Solis for the HONK! music festival. After attendees experienced Solis' altar for the planet, which depicted climate devastation, forest fires and garbage dumps, Tuttle asked them to react in writing to what they saw. Each ofrenda begins with either a reflective phrase ('I will miss...' and 'I remember when...') or an aspirational phrase ('I hope...' and 'I will save...') written in English, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and Spanish (Boston's most common languages). These prompts acknowledge the losses already experienced in our environment, allowing for grief and mourning, while also encouraging hope and positive future thinking. --- Sophy Tuttle