Rooted in the context of Irapuato, a city in Mexico shaped by water scarcity and uneven distribution, Privileged Aquafluidities explores water as both a colonized resource and a symbol of luxury. By examining the absurd and ornamental use of water in privileged spaces – such as fountains – the project questions the socio-economic and political hierarchies that turn a basic human right into an unattainable indulgence for many.

 

Engaging with DIY technologies and a ready-made philosophy, the project embraces improvisation, failure, and play as methods of resistance. It asks: What if we could reimagine the aesthetics of privilege using accessible, affordable, and standardized materials? Could we create fountains of resilience: not to celebrate wealth, but to reclaim joy and fluidity?

 

Operating at the intersection of critical design, performance, and situated practice, Privileged Aquafluidities invites users to become designer-maker-performers themselves. By building democratic water systems through intuitive, hands-on processes, the project offers speculative infrastructures that transform water from a status object into a shared, poetic, and political element. Ultimately, the work unpacks the often-invisible privilege of water access, contrasting Mexican and Dutch contexts, and foregrounds how geolocation, class, and governance shape who gets to flow freely – and who remains dry.