The Tale of Lost Waters
The mixed-media scrolls that comprise The Tale of Lost Waters document a global geological disaster and emphasize the sacredness of one of the Earth’s most vital resources. Like the scrolls created long ago as sacred texts or historical records, The Tale of Lost Waters tells the story of the 53% of our lakes and inland seas that existed for millions of years but are now only a fraction of their original size. Some, like Lake Poopó in Bolivia, Lake Poyang in China and Lake Chad in Africa, are nearly gone. Climate change and the extraction of water for industrial and agricultural use as well as increased human consumption are the primary causes of this environmental disaster. Using satellite imagery, cyanotype prints of satellite imagery, collage, acrylic and mixed media, I have built highly textured surfaces that reflect the shifting terrain - desert where there was once water, receding coastlines, exposed rock formations and the ironic beauty of our damaged contemporary landscapes. The Tale of Lost Waters is an on-going series.
MEDIA ON THE TALE OF LOST WATERS
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation Committee, July 29, 2025
Art Spiel, The Tale of Lost Waters - Susan Hoffman Fishman at Five Points Arts by Etty Yaniv, March 17, 2025.
