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Mesoamerica Revisited

Published in August 2007
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Endo Pharmaceuticals challenged the award-winning team of Harith Productions Ltd. and Designs by Sean Inc. to “provide an experience that an individual cannot purchase on his own. Top it off with environmentally green elements and lots of doses of wow!”

Harith Wickrema, Sean DeFreitas and their executive chefs for the event, Francis Drillien and Calos Arambouro of AM&I, did their research down to the last intricate detail. Together they traveled to the rural areas outside of Guadalajara, Mexico, discovering the art, architecture and flavors of Mesoamerica.

They wrapped the ballroom of the award-winning Westin Resort & Spa in Los Cabos, Mexico, in custom-designed backdrops. The result: They transformed this space into a world rich in Aztec and Mayan culture. The team met the challenge.

Peter Lankau, Endo’s president and CEO, hailed the event as “flawlessly executed, with unmatched creativity that motivated our sales team!”

“This is one of the best resorts we have ever worked with,” added Wickrema.

  1. DeFreitas designed and created the backdrop of an Aztec temple staircase to add depth and atmosphere to the ballroom (lighting by Eduardo Medina and his team at Presentation Services AV).

  2. Paper columns, lighted from within, by Designs by Sean, borrowed from carefully researched, historic Aztec and Mayan images. They frame what appears to be a statue painted on the backdrop. Several such living statues “came to life” to signal the beginning of the event by stepping out of the backdrop.

  3. Designs by Sean created the backdrop, illustrating the ancient Aztec calendar. The service plates also replicated this
    calendar image.

  4. The team traveled to rural locales and commissioned authentic local goods from clay pottery to handcrafted pewter. They ventured to the remote villages of Chapala and Tlaquepaque, interacting with the local community and discovering inspirations for the Mayan and Aztec theme.

  5. The images for Harith Productions’ signature three-dimensional menus were a result of in-depth research. Sarah Howell designed the menus to resemble Mayan temples, with digital printing by TGI. Cuisine featured a five-course masterpiece of edible art incorporating the unique natural resources and flavors indigenous to Mexico.


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