Water is vital for all life on Earth, yet her voice is rarely heard in political decision-making. Born out of growing water challenges and demands for water democracy worldwide, the Confluence of European Water Bodies sprang from a collective pursuit of a deeper understanding of ‘Rights of Nature’ in Europe, from a cultural perspective. Formed by over 25 grassroots communities of artists, activists, lawyers and ecologists, representing seas, lakes, rivers, lagoons and glaciers from all over Europe, this growing community of care and concern aims to foster new dialogues and relationships with water. As a learning system for water diplomacy, new strategies for effective representation of water in Europe’s cultural, legal and political realm are being explored, rehearsed and advocated.
I am happy to contribute to the projects brandnew website: water-bodies.eu/water-bodies/rhine where the Rhine is now represented!
To further represent the Rhine as part of the community of waterbodies, I donated a shell from my most recent artwork "Mother Of Pearl" to the Diplomatic Suitcase.
About the Diplmatic Suitcase (from the website of Embassy of the North Sea):
The Diplomatic Suitcase is the symbolic, mobile, and tangible representation of the Confluence of European Water Bodies. It is literally a suitcase that unpacks into an exhibition showing the identities of the participating water bodies. This multimedia and portable installation tells stories of the many problems European waters are facing, from contamination by agriculture to dam constructions, but also demonstrates how water diplomacy can give rise to an emerging alliance of water.
The Diplomatic Suitcase can be unpacked, exhibited and activated in various contexts: museums, galleries, embassies etc. The installation includes text panels, a 13-minute film about the Confluence in 2023, soundscapes, photo’s, manifests and various artefacts.
For more information, read here
