Jorge Rodríguez- Gerada takes us to the desert to talk about water. The large scale land artist took over 37,500 square meters with local assistants to create this image of water washing over hands as a commentary on the importance of waste water management.

The artists’ choice of this topic is something that becomes more in focus as we employ strategies for conserving a shrinking supply of potable water worldwide.  Here in Morocco, where leaders say there is increasing water scarcity Rodríguez- Gerada has discovered a rich and ample canvas and relevant location to address the issue.

“Ouarzazate is a city located south of the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. It is known as the door to the Sahara and will soon be surrounded by a greenbelt protecting it from sandstorms,” says one of the organizers.

“This natural barrier requires innovative irrigation systems that deploy purified wastewater, improving the quality of life for Ouarzazate’s inhabitants who have found new recreational spaces and a reason to protect the local environment and the biodiversity that it contains. Wasted water is recycled, collected, filtered in reservoirs and then pumped into the greenbelt with the aid of clean power generated by the Noor Ouarzazate solar power plant, the largest in North Africa.”

Sometimes an artist needs to move mountains to make his point. In this case it was 36 tons of dark gravel from a nearby quarry- an impressive and important project indeed.

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