Works on Water makes artwork on, in and with the water. We are artists and curators who work with water in response to the changing climate, increasing urban density, and a burgeoning public awareness of ecological concerns. Our work connects to current economic, political, and global issues and is in conversation with the traditions of Land Art, Public Art, and Performance Art, among others.

2025 Triennial

The Works on Water 2025 Triennial was a multi-sited exhibition and series of public art interventions made on, in, and with urban bodies of water, created in response to our global climate crisis. Our third triennial was a dynamic invitation to New Yorkers to experience and reimagine the edges of our city through an exhibition, site-specific, participatory, time-based installations, events, conversations, and more.

2020-2022 Triennial

A 3-YEAR TRIENNIAL
Due to the COVID pandemic, we adapted our 2nd Triennial into a three-year exhibition consisting of multiple projects in multiple locations around the New York City waterfront, and in the gallery space and studios of the WowHaus on Governors Island.

WoWHaus on Governors Island 2018-2021

From 2018-2021 Works on Water ran a residency on Governors Island, affectionately called the WoWHaus to actively support and grow the community of water artists in the greater New York City region, while also creating cross-disciplinary partnerships with urban planners, envrionmental scientists, and other water, environment and climate-related organizations and fields.

2017 Triennial

The 2017 TRIENNIAL was the formal launch of Works on Water. Featuring theatrical productions, commissioned installations, field works, noontime events in Zucotti park, and community conversations, the show ran for the month of June and saw several hundred visitors.

Water Art Archive

Land Art was primarily concern with a making marks directly in the landscape. Often temporary or remote, documentation was fundamental to the conception of the work satisfying the dichotomy of Site and Non Site. Land Art tended to be singular in its conception and creation.

In contrast, Water Art is collaborative and conceived of through a sense of community urgency, care and connectedness to climate change. Through this community process, artists are working as advocates and building civic agency, engaging in discussions with planners, scientists, politicians and government agencies to bring clarity to the issues we face, build awareness and stewardship and seek potential adaptive futures. Water Artists focus on our waterways as a means of discovery, knowing and empowerment, highlighting its expressive potential through embodied knowledge and our relationship to water.

Hydrofesto

The Works on Water HYDROFESTO is an offering to kin near and dear and far and wide. The text for this letterpress print was conceived through many fruitful conversations acknowledging what Works on Water strives to embody with its work on, in, and with Water.

Community

We build partnerships and collaborations to bring art, science and policy together.

Works on Water About 2025 Triennial2020-22 Triennial 2018-21 Residency2017 Triennial Water Art Archive Hydrofesto Community Email Instagram

Works on Water

Works on Water

About

2025 Triennial
2020-22 Triennial
2018-21 Residency
2017 Triennial

Water Art Archive
Hydrofesto
Community

Email
Instagram