Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly, and the Politics of Thirst

- Lennart Lahuis

For the Dutch Design Week 2019 artist Lennart Lahuis created a new water work inspired by the water-related issues explored by the In the Age of Post Drought exhibition. The inspiration for this site-specific work is a poetic quote by writer Diane Raines. From her emblematically titled book  Water Wars: Drought, Flood, Folly and the Politics of Thirst.  

Lahuis’ work explores one of Netherlands most defining historical discourses: the Dutch saga of the conquest of land and the tame of waters. The installation critically engages with the history of such a fight, not less than with the state of current water management policies of the country.  The artist casts an inquisitive look at the status quo while researching the causes of the current artificial Drought.