EL REY

Xochimilco: “land of flowers”, the “Mexican Venice”. For some, an idyllic locale, for others, a wasteland. For a few, home. For all, a tourist attraction. What is it like to grow up as part of the regional folklore, to grow up being observed? What is it like to be the observer? What of the one-hour ‘intimate’ exchanges, after which we come away knowing nothing about one another, other than what we want to know, after which all faces blend into two distinctive ones: the tourist and the tour guide?
A family of rowers, row us along the channels of Xochimilco, as one would guide a visitor through the hallways of one’s flat. Which doors does one close? Which does one leave open? What happens when the visitor asks to see what lies behind those closed doors?
Xochimilco is a place where pride and tradition meet pride and tradition. Where the impermeability of the spaces we delineate remain steadfast, sustaining a “balance”. And balance, they say, is an important skill when it comes to remaining afloat.