No Water

"The murals I make attempt to be democratic, accessible and interactive with the architecture and its programming or function. They are often influenced by personal preferences of the people involved or associated with the institution or commissioner, and deliberately do not require expertise to be executed. They make you experience a bespoke idea, locally sourced and conceived, that fits the room like a glove." Kasper Bosmans

Around the world, the levels of groundwater determine the availability of potable water. In 2019, the year in which Kasper Bosman created No Water, the World Resources Institute (WRI) published an alarming report on the global risk of water shortages. Almost a quarter of the world's population is at risk. This includes Belgium, which ranks 18th on the WRI's list of water-stressed countries.

No Water comes with instructions from the artist, using a protocol. He tells us that the upper part of the wall will be painted blue, and the lower part brown. This refers to the declining groundwater table due to pollution and soil depletion. No Water also has a participatory dimension. At De Pont in Tilburg, five people designed their own version of No Water, and at the Dhaka Art Summit in Bangladesh, nine people took part. By inviting participants to join in, Kasper Bosmans creates engagement, turning each performance into a unique portrait of the exhibition venue and its surroundings.