What might become of a body of water?

The installation ‘What Might Become of a Body of Water?’ explores the evolving relationship with rivers, underscored by the neglect of hydro-feminist perspectives. It presents a visual and auditory narrative on the eerie parallels between three sites along the Danube: the Ajka disaster marked by toxic red mud, the submerged ancient ruins of Lepenski Vir, and the submerged island and water-devoted community of Ada Kale.

A suspended crimson panel, reminiscent of the red mud, subtly illuminates with a projection of a Danube river triptych. The imagery transitions smoothly, depicting scenes of the Danube’s exploitation: handshakes, signed papers, awarded medals, construction, flooding, and the disruption of human and non-human life. The crimson colour shifts from background to foreground, engulfing the projection, emphasising the interconnected fates of these sites and the destruction caused by human actions. It prompts reflection with questions like, “What happens when we view the river as something to be quantified? When does a gift transform into theft?”