Don Julio non-alc beverages introduces Mexican culture to India through art

In 1924, Pablo Neruda wrote, "Love is so short, forgetting is so long". This sentiment anchors Día de Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, Mexico’s most profound festival of remembrance. It reminds us that remembering is an act of love, a belief that resonates deeply in India, where rituals around light, flowers, and memory carry similar emotional weight. 

This year, Don Julio non-alc beverages brought that shared philosophy to Mumbai through a collaboration that celebrated the India and Mexico cultural connection, expressed through art, music, symbolism, shared traditions and community.

“Art helps us preserve and reinterpret that identity, keeping traditions alive while also allowing them to evolve with time,” says Mexican visual artist, Lourdes Villagómez, known globally for her vivid murals and exhibitions. 

“Through a vibrant explosion of colour and deep, resonant symbolism, I wanted to convey a universal truth: Our culture celebrates memory not with sorrow, but with overwhelming gratitude and enduring love,” says Villagómez, who collaborated with Don Julio non-alc beverages in Mumbai to mark the Day of the Dead in India. It wasn't just creating installations-—Villagómez went beyond the visual element and crafted an immersive, emotionally resonant space that reflected the soul of both Mexican and Indian cultures. “Día de Muertos is fundamental to our identity because it reflects our worldview—that life and death are part of a continuous story. And art gives that story form as it becomes a vessel for collective memory, a way to say ‘this is who we are’.” 

Villagómez recalls growing up seeing altars filled with marigolds, sugar skulls, and candles at home. “Collaborating with Don Julio in Mumbai for Day of The Dead wasn’t just about introducing a Mexican tradition to people of another country,” she says. “But about creating a dialogue between two cultures that value family, heritage, and craftsmanship. People understand its soul, even if the symbols are different.” 

Where the cultures of Mexico and India overlap

Villagómez’s art also built on the fact that the two countries share a deep respect for tradition, spirituality, and symbolism, reflecting the broader India and Mexico cultural connection. “There’s a shared poetry in how we both turn memory into celebration. Both cultures honour their ancestors, celebrate the festivals of light and colour, and find joy in remembrance, besides seeing beauty in transformation, rituals and craftsmanship,” she says. Through her installations for Don Julio, the artist sought harmony between two traditions that celebrate life, preserving the authenticity of Mexican symbols while embracing India’s warmth, community, and hospitality. 

In India, the marigold flower stands for auspiciousness, prosperity, and joy, and is present in and celebrations. 

“Artistically, symbolism is everything: marigolds represent the sun guiding the spirits, while the papel picado, a traditional Mexican cut-paper folk art, symbolises the fragility of life. Every piece of art can become a ritual or a moment to remember, be grateful, and reconnect. Personally, creating altars and artworks has become my way to keep that warmth alive, even when far from home,” says Villagómez.

The cultural impact of symbolism 

“Symbols such as candles and marigolds on the altar are both sacred and celebratory. Even the palette represents how life and death coexist beautifully by being vibrant but in harmony,” says Villagómez. 

Meanwhile, the characters from Mexican folklore are visually contemporary: The Butterfly represents the soul’s journey, a universal symbol of change and renewal. The Musician embodies joy, rhythm and the idea that love continues to resonate beyond time through music. The Rivera Catrina is inspired by Diego Rivera’s mural and rooted in the land and tradition of Mexico. 

Changing anything could get tricky, especially while working with traditional elements across two different cultures. “Tradition stays alive when it evolves. And art preserves culture by reimagining it. It’s about respect, balance, and finding new ways for tradition to stay meaningful. My work keeps the heart of Mexican iconography but speaks in a contemporary visual language through colour, composition, and storytelling that resonate with younger generations. Art should connect, not stay in the past,” says Villagómez. 

Strong communities formed around shared culture is another common ground between the people of the two countries. Celebrating ancestors by remembering them in gratitude, through art, can be a powerful way to spark a sustained dialogue between India and Mexico.