“Beauty is nature’s tool for survival, because we protect what we love,” Louie Schwartzberg once said. He has created many powerful short films to encourage humanity to defend our waterways and keep our water pure. Read on to find out how artist defend our water, and how you can help.
August is National Water Quality Awareness Month, so start protecting what you love by watching this short film from Louie and the spoken word artist IN-Q.
Artists & Leaders Team Up
Louie and IN-Q made that short film for the One Drop Foundation whose projects have touched lives in 13 different countries and improved the living conditions of more than 2.1 million people.
This month, water leaders around the world are leading the way toward clean water for all with innovative solutions to raising public awareness. Through artists like Louie and IN-Q, they can spread a change in consciousness.
The number one problem faced by water leaders is how to make water issues more accessible and approachable to the public. They needed ways to quickly illustrate the dire crisis of public water systems.
Artists have risen to the challenge with murals, photographs, and other public art that challenges passersby to get involved.
Artwork Around the Country
In Santa Cruz, California, ecologically inspired murals have appeared on the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The art features ocean creatures like fish, whales, octopi, and egrets. Visitors to the site can enjoy the beautiful artwork while learning about the fauna that inhabits the ocean in Santa Cruz’s backyard.
In San Jose, California, artist Robert Dawson has created a series of works that document local water treatment plants. His photographs capture the complexity of the systems that treat public water. Dawson’s vision is that his artwork can help educate the public about water treatment facilities.
The City of Santa Monica treats and recycles urban runoff with a facility designed by artist Richard Turner. In his artist’s statement, Turner notes that “one of the most extraordinary things about this project is that the city wanted to showcase the process rather than hide it away.” The facility includes diagrams and viewing platforms that allow visitors to witness water treatment firsthand.
Even cities located away from the ocean are using art to highlight water issues. The City of Ames in Iowa is running a public art contest to solicit engagement and creative contributions from the community about the role of water. Artists and water leaders working together can create more engaging campaigns for the public.
‘Have you ever seen artists defend our water, and what have you done to help? We would love to hear from you!