As friction ensues, each device generates a soothing sound with a unique pitch, volume, and rhythm. The installation chooses goblet to store water samples, meanwhile, each device is arranged in front of the corresponding video, indicating where the water sample lived. By intertwining water, sounds, and visuals, this multi-sensory installation intends to sensitize viewers to nature, fostering a renewed environmental consciousness.
The Potawatomi people noted that “a bay is a noun only if the water is dead. When the bay is a noun, it is trapped between its shores and contained by the word”. Water is always moving, changing, and choosing.
Project
Wiikwegamaa
vii.
to be a bay
[Potawatomi language]
In the language of the Potawatomi people, wiikwegamaa is a verb meaning to be a bay. According to their beliefs, it is the water that decides to be a bay or turn into a pond or a stream, or disappear in response to inhospitable conditions. This artwork delves into the agency of water within indigenous knowledge, prompting a re-evaluation of our relationship with nature.
Through a combination of sounds, water samples sourced from a local river, and a set of five wine glasses, the installation invites viewers to immerse themselves in the sounds and visuals generated by water.
2023
FutureTense Media Art Award - Winner
FutureTense Exhibition
Installation
Electronics / Projection
/ Wood / Motor
/ Glass / Water
*There are two versions of this project. The second version creates a water container at the top of the device to sustain a long time running, meanwhile modifies the design to make the friction more elegant and stable. The video is the first version.
Upstream water (22°44’N 114°13’E)
Pumping station water (22°27’N 114°09’E)
Tap water (22°44’N 114°16’E)
Street water (22°45’N 114°16’E)
Sea water (22°44’N 114°17’E)
Wiikwegamma
2021.12