Water as a medium for artistic expression

A group of artists dives into the dynamic, varied and beautiful world of water as part of an exhibition, entitled at ‘Ripple Effect: The Art of H2O’, at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM). Inspired by natural phenomena such as fog, snowflakes and geysers, the 16 artists featured in Ripple Effect explore water in its liquid, gas and solid states as a rich source for creative expression.

‘Ripple Effect’, in PEM's interactive Art & Nature Center, highlights water as a medium for artistic expression and hands-on exploration. Visitors encounter water in its different states - solid, liquid and gas - as they investigate artworks inspired by rivers, geysers, snowflakes, fog and more.

Water's allure to contemporary artists as a creative medium is quite compelling, especially in relation to the unique, life-giving properties of this substance we so often take for granted. The show presents works of art in a variety of mediums, including blown glass, photography, clay and sound, and challenges visitors to consider this life-sustaining substance often taken for granted.

"Not a moment goes by that we don't encounter water. It surrounds us in the air we breathe and fills every cell in our bodies, yet we rarely take notice of it - except when we don't have enough of it or encounter too much of it," states Jane Winchell, curator of Ripple Effect and PEM's Sarah Fraser Robbins Director of the Art & Nature Center. "We invite visitors to experience water as a unique artistic medium and to consider its remarkable physical properties, which also make life possible."

Water is the only natural substance on earth that exists in three forms - liquid, solid and gas. ‘Ripple Effect’ is organized around these physical states and features artworks, media elements and hands-on stations that let visitors explore the art and science of water. Compelled by water's movement, moods and life-giving properties, many artists who work with it focus on the liquid state.

They work with myriad forms of ice, ranging from intricate snowflakes to towering glaciers. Being invisible, water vapor is a challenging artistic medium. But water vapor in transition to liquid - in the form of clouds, fog, mist or steam - has also captured artists' imagination.

(Information courtesy: PEM)