Just outside the Embassy of Spain and Mexican Cultural Institute of Washington D.C., Luzinterruptus constructed another signature street installation, this time, a wooden waterfall fashioned with recycled buckets similar to those commonly used by women around the world to fetch water. These buckets transport the precious liquid from wells, hoisted down to the depths of the Earth or carried through long, perilous journeys without spilling a single drop. In this case, water is supplied to The Waterfall by means of a closed-loop which wastes almost no water.
During the day, the sound of water mingles with street life. However, at night, the piece stands defiant, imposing its force over the area's stately buildings. As the buckets receive and distribute the slow-flowing current, they mime a grievous journey that millions of people travel every day in order to access a natural resource that should be available to all.
Yes, water is scarce, and climate change is the primary reason. However, questionable privatizations share in the blame. Some governments barter this valuable resource with private companies in exchange for supply infrastructure; while others simply sell their aquifers to large food and beverage corporations who exploit resources and the surrounding land, leaving local inhabitants in parched crisis.
The world has been dealing with issues of recycling plastic material for a long time, as companies sell life sustenance, and Luzinterruptus is especially focused on launching awareness campaigns for responsible use of plastic, hoping to spark a conversation about this unsuitable privatization issue.
All materials will be recycled after the piece is dismantled in September; the wood to be used in future constructions and buckets given to a company that grinds and turns them into raw material for new products. The Waterfall is on display through September 27, between the Former Residence of the Ambassador of Spain and the Mexican Cultural Institute. Visit at night for absolute impact.
