Most artists recognize water as a necessary component of art because it serves as the primary base for paints and clays. Artist Matthew Dahaemers recognizes that water’s importance extends beyond the artistic realm as the primary building block of life.
In his exhibit “Watered Down: An Installation by Matthew Dahaemers,” which is opening at the Lied Gallery on Sept. 17, Creighton alumnus Dahaemers uses artistic expression to illuminate water-specific issues. His focus on sustainability is reinforced by his use of materials like wood, water, clay, straws and clock motors in a giant water wall.
“The wall consists of over 3,000 hand-dyed bottles of water, which recreates an American advertisement selling bottled water,” Dahaemers said. “The entire installation centers on water issues specific to the Midwest, regionally, nationally and globally.”
Dahaemers said the theme was first inspired by the early years of the war in Iraq, when it was difficult for the Iraqi population to obtain even the most rudimentary source of well-being: water.
“There was this little known YouTube video of U.S. soldiers on the back of a convoy truck dangling a bottle of water out the back of the truck at some boys who were frantically running behind this fairly speedy truck,” Dahaemers said. “The soldiers egged these boys on for many, many blocks. Eventually one boy was left running after the bottle of water the soldiers were still dangling.”
Dahaemers said he took a very methodical approach to this installation, as he does with most of his works. He began by investigating the water crisis and working backwards from there to figure out what materials he would need. He turned to the Council Bluffs Recycling Center for most of his supplies for “Watered Down.” He and the center’s education coordinator, Shannon Meister, have worked together on previous projects. Meister will also be participating in the month-long event as a guest lecturer with expertise on recycling and domestic water issues.
“I believe the biggest challenge facing America and the world when it comes to sustainability is education,” Meister said. “People need to truly understand that we do have finite resources and we need to properly take care of and preserve the resources we can.”
Other guest lecturers at the event include Robert Glennon, a law professor at the James E. Rogers College of Law in Arizona and author of the book “Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It,” and Creighton chemistry professor Gary Michels, Ph.D., who is also directing a water purification project through the Institute for Latin American Concern.
“Watered Down” will provide a refreshing take on the current water crisis by educating the community in a creative way. Both he and Meister agree that spreading awareness and accurate information about sustainability is key to finding solutions.
“I think art can be a communication medium that can, in a sense, construct a picture–freeze a frame or aspects of a particular issue or topic,” Dahaemers said. I do this through a variety of tangible materials that we are familiar with but might otherwise relate to in a different context in our everyday. My goal as an artist is to find a way to take you out of your everyday mode of thinking and, if only for half a minute, get you to focus on and process something coming at you from a different way of thinking through artful means.”