How can artists contribute to ensuring that water is accessible to all, today and forever?
Water is an inherent human right, yet almost a billion people do not have access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion live without sanitation. There is also a “stress nexus” between water, energy and food. For example, heating, moving, treating water consumes 13 percent of all energy use. It takes 1,300 liters of water to create one kg of wheat. Meeting the humans’ growing needs for food energy and water will be a major challenge of the 21st century.

Leveraging images and stories, the participating artists in WATER = LIFE will examine the relationship of poverty, health, food, energy and water. Playful and provocative, artists have created compelling water-related artwork warranting attention, such as Serge Belo’s large-scale water mosaic, Swen Pahlsson’s animation “Bending Water,” and Lucy and Jorge Orta’s Fluvial Intervention System—which purified the water in the Huang Pu River in Shanghai. These are among the engaging artists we will tap for this exhibition.

Art Works for Change has the honor of being invited to launch WATER = LIFE at the Stockholm World Water Week Conference, Aug. 31–September 5, 2014 before the exhibition embarks on its international tour. The Stockholm event will be attended by 2,700 preeminent water experts and corporate sustainability executives from around the world.