Die Unmöglichkeit zu teilen
(Teil 3)
The exhibition Die Unmöglichkeit zu teilen (Teil 3) at Kunstverein Friedrichshafen focuses on the ecological, economic, and socio-cultural future scenarios surrounding the issue of water supply.
Will the lake’s water level drop in the future when Swiss glaciers melt due to climate change, or if Switzerland further regulates water inflow?
In light of the catastrophic climate changes of recent and coming years, the conflict potential in the unequal distribution of water becomes clear: while some regions face flooding, rivers are drying up in others. Lake Constance, on whose shore the Kunstverein Friedrichshafen is located, is also directly affected by ongoing drought and lack of precipitation. In order to avoid worsening the situation, a general ban on the extraction of surface water has been in place in the entire Lake Constance district since June.
Are the inhabitants of the Lake Constance region the victims in the struggle over water resources?
Although shipping and water supply are not yet acutely endangered, the low water levels of the lake foreshadow crises that are likely to intensify in the future. Elsewhere, the situation is already far more serious: last year, several regions in Spain declared a state of water emergency. Just recently, the German Foreign Office issued a travel warning for large parts of southern Italy due to ongoing water shortages.
Drinking water from Switzerland – known as the water castle of Europe – is bottled in small portions. PARA extracted this water from the Swiss water cycle and brought it across national borders. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the redistribution of this valuable resource: raise the water level of the lake in front of the museum, take a portion of water on your upcoming summer vacation to Italy, or store it in your basement for the coming apocalypse? Together, the drinking water extracted in Switzerland is returned to Lake Constance in an effort to counteract the declining water levels.
Program
Opening → Friday, July 25, from 7 PM
Performance → Saturday, July 26, 11 AM
Lunch Talk and Guided Tour → Saturday, July 26, 12:30 PM
Curators' Tour → Thursday, August 21, 4:30 PM
Public Discussion: Water Resources and Their Redistribution → Thursday, August 21, 5 PM
Finissage → Sunday, September 14, 4 PM
To underscore the temporal redistribution of drinking water, a portion of the water appropriated from Switzerland will enter the collection of the neighboring Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen in sealed containers after the end of the exhibition. Through this musealization of a resource that still appears to be in abundance today, PARA anticipates a future of scarcity and ensures the best possible preservation.
A production by PARA. Initiated and made possible by Kunst im öffentlichen Raum (KiöR) of the City of Zurich. Supported by the Brunhilde Moll Foundation and Ritter Sport Kunstförderung.