Water & Power: A Global Empire of Thirst
“Water is the ideal form of power—fluid, adaptable, and persistent,
able to wear down even the hardest stone through patience and flow.”
—Laozi in Tao Te Ching
For over 45 years Dawson and Manchester have examined and photographed the complex
relationship between humanity and water. Their work began in the American West and later at sites
throughout the world. Through the process of doing this work together we learned that water can
serve as a metaphor that teaches us about the nature of power—its ability to create, inspire, and
sustain, but also, if unchecked, to destroy communities.
Robert brings his skills as a photographer, environmentalist and writer and Ellen contributes her
curatorial and environmental expertise to our collaboration. In 1990, Dawson and Manchester
founded and co-directed the Water in the West Project—a large-scale collaborative project with
several other photographers including Sant Khalsa. For ten years, we met, gave each other feedback
on our work, and produced books, exhibitions and symposia. The Center for Creative Photography
in Tucson later acquired the archive of project photographers’ work for their permanent collection.
Civilizations have risen and fallen based on their ability to manage water resources. Who benefits
from the abundance of water and who suffers from its absence? Historian Donald Worster wrote:
“Water in our present economy has no intrinsic value, no integrity that must be respected…It has now become a commodity that
is bought and sold and used to make other commodities…All mystery disappears from its depth, all gods depart, all
contemplation of its flow ceases…And in that new language of market calculation lies an assertion of ultimate power over
nature.” In the long run, we won’t miss our water until our well runs dry.
Link to work: https://tinyurl.com/bd6xkre4
