Dowsing across fields
Interested in how water-control sets daily routines and geopolitical equilibriums, this ongoing research investigates the relationship between community, water and its infrastructure. What kind of political, social and economical values define the perception of water and rule its distribution? By counterposing different systems of beliefs, values and logics, the project aims at stimulating awareness by speculating on new models for sharing such a limited common resource.
I began this research in 2023 and I made several exhibitions in which new works were gradually presented.
- 1st episode focused on the controversial figure of the dowser, a person capable of sensing water underneath the ground through unconventional methods. This practitioner makes water accessible for communities by creating wells and hence influences human settlements. Will dowsers maintain a role in a future dominated by capitalistic/scientific worldviews? Could their work reshuffle the way water is distributed beyond privatisation?
This research became a multimedia installation (images above) consisting of a video, a performance, sculptures and a series of poems and drawings. - 2nd episode was Unknown Sources, a storytelling walk in collaboration with a dowser. This activity created a common ground to collectively question and speculate on the policies and practices dealing with the water supply and infrastructure.
- 3rd episode was As Common as Well, a solo show focused on the ways in which communities interact with wells and water infrastructure.
- 4th episode took place at Maakhaven, The Hague, in November 2024. In this solo show I presented my comprehensive research "Dowsing across Fields" and a new aluminum sculpture, "Round-Well Forum".
This sculpture resembles a water well - a central gathering place that has historically shaped routines, stories, and relationships of survival. I envision it as a movable platform to facilitate round-table discussions on water. - 5th episode is the spatial installation "Each Ripple — another glimpse", part of the group exhibition Beloved Waters. On this occasion a portal and other spatial elements have been created!
- 6th episode is the audio-spatial installation "A raccolta, alla deriva", part of a duo exhibition at museum Casa Masaccio. This new 'soundscape' uses aluminium shapes to give voice to various audio channels.
Credits images and video above: Alcaeus Spirou & Rositsa Atanasova
