The La Fuente de la Vida project is a collaboration between American and Mexican artists, filmmakers, professors, writers, dance professionals and students.  The body of work is comprised of 4 elements: a 3-channel video installation with sound, drawings, a catalogue, and still digital photographs. The video component of the project is comprised of a three channel projection where one of the videos was edited by an American and two are edited by Mexicans.

Beginning in the midst of the Flu epidemic outbreak, the project is an epic story surrounding a civic fountain in downtown Monterrey, Mexico entitled “La Fuente de La Vida” (The Fountain of Life).  The monument has fallen from grace in the eyes of the city.  To regain its glory the characters from the fountain, Neptune and his nymphs, begin a search for a new location for their monument. By paralleling Mexico's ‘fall from grace’ in the eyes of the international community - ranging from the ‘Swine’ Flu outbreak and drug cartel infused US border conflict – the project fosters a creative rethinking and examination of cross-cultural currents between Mexico and it’s sibling neighbor nation to the North. Fuente de la Vida serves as a rebuttal to the persistent negative media effluence that has helped perpetuate cultural stigmas and discrimination.

List of Collaborators:

Video Editing-
Samuel Ceped, Mexico
Iván Pujol, Mexico
Aili Schmeltz, US

Music Composition-
Greg Bryant, US

Essay Writer-
David Hernandez Casas, Mexico

Studio Assistants-
Andrea Garza, Mexico
Marco Treviño, Mexico
Madeline Sor, US
Ryan Guzdial, US

Book Designer-
Aissa Deebi, US/UK

Cameramen-
Marco Treviño, Mexico
Rubén Gutierrez, Mexico
Aissa Deebi, US/UK
Julio Orta, Mexico
David Hernandez Casas, Mexico

Performers-
Iván Pujol, Mexico.
Vanessa Moya, Mexico
Janna Samira Alcaraz Sona, Mexico
Cristina Garza, Mexico
Areli Morán, Mexico

Private discotec graciously provided by Projecto Arte- Héctor Santos, Director- Monterrey, Mexico for         filming with 2 in house DJ performers- DJ 22 locos and DJ Ninja

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link to video on Youtube

link to essay written by David Hernandez Casas - english
link to essay written by David Hernandez Casas - spanish

link to artist statement written by Aili Schmeltz - english
link to artist statement written by Aili Schmeltz - spanish

link to book of La Fuente de la Vida project from Blurb here

2D work