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© CELSO MARRERO 2026

When the Gods Left

Shot in Playa del Carmen, this work documents contemporary performances inspired by Mayan ritual. Recreated nightly for tourists along the Caribbean coast, these performances transform sacred symbolism into spectacle, placing descendants of an ancient civilisation before the gaze of those whose ancestors once sought to erase it.

CREDITS

Photography & Direction: Celso

LOCATION

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
2025
masked fire performer with skeletal face paint holding flaming torches during a staged ritual inspired by Mayan traditions
ceremonial performer illuminated by firelight kneeling in the sand during a night performance in Mexico
fire performer crawling beside flames while another painted performer stands in the background during a ritual reenactment
performer with ceremonial body paint and torch extending a hand toward fire during a nighttime beach performance
masked performer beside a large flame during a contemporary ritual spectacle inspired by Mayan imagery