Cura Aquarum
This event proposes to explore water’s material, symbolic, ethical, socio-political, economic, and cultural dimensions through a performance art installation. Informed by environmental humanities and theatre practice, second-year visual art students will reimagine a cura aquarum to co-create a one-hour performance art installation on site at SETU.
During the Roman Empire, the curator aquarum and their team were responsible for maintaining the efficiency of Rome’s evolving water system, including construction and repair, water distribution, legislation compliance, health and safety, and individual water allowance (Vladu 2018). Some of these practices continue to inform the maintenance of contemporary water supply systems, which are facing enormous challenges as billions of people live without safe drinking water and/or sanitation and/or hygiene, which cause grave consequences (see Surmelihindi et al. 2023; WHO/UNICEF 2023).
The project will adopt environmentally sustainable design practices (see Royal Holloway n.d.), which include: using and repurposing materials and containers; upcycling costumes; buying from charity shops in our localities; and avoiding non-biodegradable material. Water used during the process and performance will be brought to biodiversity spaces on campus.
The event takes place at Atrium, Cork Road Campus, Waterford. All are welcome and free to attend.