Immersion Emergencies and Possible Worlds: Engaging Water as Culture and Resource through Contemporary Art

In the present socio-cultural moment, water is increasingly the subject of discussion and contestation in public discourse. As Canadians, we know it as a resource that is ubiquitous within our history and an increasingly desirable international commodity. Our project uses research and practice in visual art to address the subject of water regarding its cultural and environmental importance, linking the historical art practice of picturing nature with the potential of visual representation to offer opportunities for aesthetic and socio-cultural engagement. The project is generously funded by the Social Sciences Research Council of Canada. (see www.immersion-emergencies.ca)