The quality of water

Exhibition actually three in one says Stephanie Mitchell

A new exhibition tackles the quality of New Zealand’s water supply by asking residents to collect samples from different sources and bring them together to compare.

The exhibition, titled Blue Lies , is actually three exhibitions in one on display at Taranaki’s Percy Thompson Gallery.

Put together by painter Amanda Hewlett and photographer Cathy Carter, it features their individual works along with a collaboration.

To coincide with the art work on the walls the artists, who are sistersin-law, asked the community to bring samples of water from sources of their choice.

They call the samples, A Treasury of Water.

‘‘A representation of water is as a substance that is blue, yet when placed in a jar it is either clear or variations of colour depending on the particles suspended in it,’’

Carter said.

‘‘We asked people to write on the jar or bottle the source of the water to show that sometimes looks can be deceiving and that the quality or characteristics of water aren’t always reflected in how it looks.’’

The opening of the exhibition, which runs until March 25, happened to occur at the same time New Plymouth went through its water crisis after ex-cyclone Gita brought down a tree, breaking a pipe and limiting the city’s water supply.

‘‘Clear water does not mean that it is healthy water.

‘‘This has been demonstrated with New Plymouth’s water supply being compromised and the resulting warnings to boil household water,’’ she said.

Both artists are originally from Taranaki and this played a large part in their creations.