Created in response to a call for submissions dealing with depleted water resources in rural Africa.

In most of rural Africa women and children travel long distances on foot each day collecting and carrying water. It has been calculated that in South Africa alone, women collectively walk the equivalent distance of 16 times to the moon and back per day gathering water for families.

This artwork combines a stainless steel yoke, like one used for carrying water, bent under the tension of six glass vessels containing spring water. The vessels represent underground water sources. If a source runs dry, the yoke becomes unstable, upsets the natural balance, further complicating the task of fetching and carrying water.

In rural Africa, and increasingly anywhere, finding a spring of clear water is like striking gold, or finding ‘the mother lode’ (veta madre).

Date: 2017

Dimensions: w:50cm d:50cm h:100cm

Materials: Stainless steel, borosilicate glass, spring water.