Communal Well
The installation was created for the exhibition “Reuse-Refuse” at the Honolulu Academy of Art (Honolulu, HI). It is about the role of water in communities from the traditional well to the modern office water-cooler. Fourteen water coolers created a gurgling place filled with reflections and light. The space drew in people to drink, talk, and reflect. Museum visitors were encouraged to drink from the fountains and leave their paper cups in the receptacles between the coolers. The process created an ever changing space of diminishing water and increasing waste.
As the bottles of water were emptied over the course of the exhibition, they were placed on shelves above the coolers. Full bottles were taken from a platform in the center that seemed to float above the floor. Lighting from the ceiling and the floor reflected through the bottles, playing off the changing water levels. The quality of light in room changed as more of the bottles were emptied and replaced.
For further information about this installation please visit www.harriesheder.com