Watershed: Art, Activism, and Community Engagement

Watershed: Art, Activism, and Community Engagement addresses the shifting ecological and political dimensions of water. This project, organized by Raoul Deal and Nicolas Lampert, uses art as a form of activism to comment on water issues in Milwaukee and the Great Lakes Basin, and their impact on the world at large.  It tackles issues such as water shortages, notions of abundance, water privatization, invasive species, industrial pollution, and water as a human right.  There are three components to Watershed: (1) Community Outreach: Fall 2009- Summer 2010: silkscreen workshops with students at the Bruce Guadalupe Middle School and the Walnut Way Conservation Corp in Milwaukee to create images that address water issues. (2) Public Interventions: (July 2010) local and national artists work on art actions along in the shores of  Lake Michigan, the banks of Milwaukee’s three main rivers,  in the city, and the surrounding suburban and rural areas. (3) Gallery exhibit and series of presentations: January 28-Feb 25, 2011, UWM Union Art Gallery.