Helmut Dosantos’ feature debut, Gods of Mexico, is an ethereal work of observation, informing tonality through compositional rigor, the beauty on display siphoned into a controlled stasis. In opposition to historical narratives of modernization and the industrial imperialism that ravages the landscapes of indigenous communities, Dosantos seeks an immobility that dignifies itself through the act of statis-as-resistance. He frames a collection of indigenous peoples in a plethora of tableaux so that, when brought together, they might construct a new perception and narrative of resilience. But this well-meaning survey of beauty and might quickly collapses into the ornamental.
Published as part of InRO Weekly — Volume 1, Issue 9.