The music of Ruby Castellanos answered the call when Fenómeno 43, a socially conscious Mexican exhibit, asked for artistic expressions to “wake Mexico up” in the face of rampant violence. The '43' refers to the 43 disappeared students in Ayotzinapa last year whose remains, save for one, have yet to be unearthed. The Santa Ana singer's music video for her single “Todo Sana” (Everything Heals) fit perfectly with sought after submissions. It's been selected and will be part of Fenómeno 43 in Puebla, Mexico this week.
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Castellanos adapted the song from her friend Mexican singer/songwriter Armando Quirós. “Todo Sana” is the title track off her 2013 EP release and deals with issues of domestic violence. Carla Zárate, the music video's director, took the song and crafted a poignant protest concept about her Mexican homeland.
The Santa Ana-based SolArt collective artist worked in media during her time living in Mexicali, where she's from, before moving to OC. The cause of Mexican journalists is never far from her heart. She transformed “Todo Sana” into a story about a brave reporter documenting the human rights violations in Mexico before falling victim to the violence. The scenes were filmed in Santa Ana and many local activists step in as actors.
The music video originally premiered by way of La Banda Elastica in November 2013. Since that time, the bloody situation in Mexico hasn't improved with the disappearance of the Ayotzinapa students spurring a movement for justice on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. (An estimated 30,000 people have disappeared since 2006). The Fenómeno 43 exhibit begins Thursday and Santa Ana will be there to represent.
Check out “Todo Sana” below:
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Gabriel San Román is from Anacrime. He’s a journalist, subversive historian and the tallest Mexican in OC. He also once stood falsely accused of writing articles on Turkish politics in exchange for free food from DönerG’s!