To commemorate the Day of the Dead at the end of 2019, the government of Mexico City commissioned an impressive audio video and lighting show that had to extend its projection thanks to the massive attendance.
Chauvet
The Chapultepec Forest, located in the Mexican capital, received the souls in their transitory return to the world of the living with the night tours of the Celebrating Eternity event, which took place from October 30 to November 9, 2019. This immersive experience, full of art, music, lights, technology and tradition delighted many visitors on a tour of about an hour.
The lighting of the entire route was a fundamental factor to give life to each and every one of the scenarios and the Mexican company Línea Negra Producciones was in charge of bringing to light most of this great project organized by the Government of Mexico City, through the Secretariats of Culture and Tourism, as well as the Mixed Fund for Tourism Promotion and the Historic Center Authority.
This cultural walk, which was part of the Day of the Dead Festival 2019 in Mexico City, began at the Puerta de los Leones, which featured a scenography of a huge Skull decorated with cempasúchil flowers welcoming the spectacular tour. Initially the event was planned to take place during only the Day of the Dead weekend but the Head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum extended the screening time of the show. The announcement he posted on his social networks was: "Due to the success and the great participation and interest of the people, I announce that the immersive show #Celebrandolaeternidad will continue in the Bosque de Chapultepec from Wednesday 6 to Saturday 9 November."
Remembering the custom of defoliating the flowers of cempasúchil and making a path that serves as a guide to the altars, on the bridge that connects the Puerta de los Leones with the Monument to the Children Heroes, large fabric and plastic flowers were mounted where Oaxacan music received visitors. Upon arriving at the Altar of the Fatherland, whose marble columns were illuminated in orange tones, different photographs of the heroes who left their mark on the history of Mexico stood out and with music from the State of Guerrero the design of the offering was framed.
Continuing with the night walk, in the Amphitheater Squadron 201 was represented the ancestral deity Xólotl – God in the form of a dog that; according to the ancestors, it helped the spirits to reach the realm of death – bathed in purple tones, which highlighted the skeleton of the animal and to the rhythm of Mariachi songs, visitors enjoyed with their companions the various photographs and selfies that were taken and that flooded the Chapultepec Forest with life, which normally receives thousands of people but only during the day.
The next obligatory stop was at the Museo del Caracol where the image of the Lord of the Underworld of the Mexica culture Mictlantecutli, illuminated from the bottom, was witnessed by the various dances in his honor that represented the moments of adoration of the ancient pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. In the Garden known as Las Tazas, visitors admired some large-scale skull images from the graphic work of Mexican illustrator and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posadas, which were highlighted with various shades of purple and blue in the lighting placed between the gardens of the Forest.
The Causeway of the Poets appeared to be a huge pantheon where floral offerings were placed in the different busts and the laments of the famous "Weeping" were heard that thanks to the lighting effects and with the support of audio equipment, made its appearances in different parts of the cemetery, offering a mystical touch to the place.
To close with a flourish this great show, when arriving at the Minor Lake of the First Section of Chapultepec, a monumental offering mounted in the center of the lake remembered and honored the deceased who are venerated in these special and representative dates for Mexicans, next to it were located large video screens where photographs of characters from the history of Mexico already deceased were projected.
Attendees were also invited to send the photograph to a digital kiosk to finally be part of this large stage full of light baths of different colors where an extensive group of mariachis said goodbye with their melodies to all attendees the lighting of this great offering stood out thanks to the installation of 40 COLORdash PAR H7IP luminaires that thanks to their RGBWAUV LEDs to be used outdoors in any weather condition; they surprised the production team because despite the rainy days and a great storm they endured, the equipment did not present any failure.
Technology used
Installed in 26 towers with 10 pieces of equipment each, Chauvet Professional's 260 COLORdash PAR H12IP luminaires surrounded the perimeter of the lake completing the perfect setting to conclude the Celebration of Eternity.
Línea Negra Producciones chose these powerful and compact wash equipment for the variety of options they offer with their RGBWAUV LEDs by projecting an attractive homogeneous and soft light field of richly saturated colors that gave a striking festive look and a lot of Mexican tradition to this section of the Forest. In particular the production team was very satisfied with the result they obtained with the warm tones of these COLORdash.
The control panel of these luminaires has a friendly Oled text screen that shows full texts, the IP connectors for power and DMX with high degree of protection make their installation easy and fast which was of great help to this project that was mounted with little staff considering the dimensions of the event and in only 3 days.
Línea Negra Producciones by Alejandro Flores trusted the chauvet Professional teams to build the path of light that would guide the living and deceased to enjoy this great show honoring Mexican traditions.
