When our appliance heed us a warning…

Invited to activate the Ed.Varie bathroom during the Wide Awakes FUTURE.FORWARD.FREEDOM. show, I created a site specific installation incorporating all the appliances in the bathroom. Water, a vital and finite resource, is becoming increasingly scarce across the globe and was the theme of the installation.

Whenever someone washed their hands in the sink, a bright green strobe light would flash, reminding them that they were using a precious and dwaning resource. The sensor I used for this was made from copper tape, and became the core material used to create an eco-futuristic horror scene.

The installation also features media, ceramic and light sculptures created by myself and Matt Pinner, and a creature by Sophi Kravitz called Harelyn.

Highlighting the severity of the situation, here are the 15 nations most profoundly affected by water stress. Remarkably, these regions also bear witness to significant political unrest:

1. Bahrain 2. Cyprus 3. Kuwait 4. Lebanon 5. Oman 6. Qatar 7. United Arab Emirates 8. Saudi Arabia 9. Israel 10. Egypt 11. Libya 12. Yemen 13. Botswana 14. Iran 15. Jordan

This is an issue that we’re facing in the USA, and it is important that everyone treats water as the precious resource that it is.

Technical collaboration: Matt Pinner

Installation support: Heather Thompson and Amanda Weil

Photo credits: Amanda Weil