What Water ASBL has announced it will host its fourth humanitarian exhibition on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 December 2023, at Casino Luxembourg, starring 21 international artists showcasing their art to raise awareness on the water crisis and help raise funding to facilitate clean water access to communities in Central Africa.
What Water will launch its annual flagship exhibition on Friday 1 December. The exhibition, titled Melusin’art, will be hosted at Casino Luxembourg and will run for two days with a vernissage including several cultural performances planned on Friday and a Gala on the evening of Saturday 2 December. The exhibition brings together 21 artists from Luxembourg and Cameroon to raise funding for the water crisis in Central Africa.
Melusina has long been a symbol of both Luxembourg and water. According to the legend, Count Siegfried, Luxembourg’s founder, encountered Melusina by the Alzette River. Enchanted by her beauty, he eventually found her again by the water after a long quest and could finally propose to her. Melusina had a single condition meant to ensure a happy and long-lasting marriage: as the Alzette River had brought them together, she was to enjoy a single day every week, alone with water. Water was, thus, the element which brought them together, and the only one which could and would set them apart. Melusin’Art is an ode to the history of Luxembourg, to the historical significance of water. The exhibition aims to be a reminder that water is essential to all, while unfortunately still scarce for many.
Guests will be able to browse the collection throughout the day. There will be an opportunity to meet the artists both during the vernissage on the opening night and during the Gala dinner. What Water will also organise youth workshops dedicated to raising awareness of the issues of water scarcity on Saturday 2 December.
Describing the collection of art, Axelle Salvage, Head of Artist Relations at What Water, said: “What Water wants to ensure that our donors receive high-quality investment opportunities. We are thankful for the support of Luxembourg Art Week to curate our exhibition, which showcases internationally renowned artists such as Barthélémy Toguo who has been appointed UNESCO artist for peace, and Eric Mangen, a renowned Luxembourgish artist whose installations can be found all the way to Australia!”
When asked to describe the vision for What Water, Gwen Tchoungui, President of the association, said: “[…] The focus is on What Water can do. Water access is the root of rural economic growth. It has proven to revolutionise societies. Every day women and children lose 200 million hours in the search for clean water. This fact fuels our commitment to deliver water, a universal human right, for everyone.”
What Water ASBL is an organisation that aims to build bridges by connecting artists in Europe and Central Africa to deliver water access to vulnerable populations. What Water’s mission is to provide clean water to eight million people by 2030, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What Water reported its commitment to working directly on the ground, with little to no intermediaries, to ensure that 75% of proceeds reach the ground with best-in-class processes and systems. The association aims to achieve this through active engagement with local communes and specialists in Central Africa. What Water ASBL’s efforts in Cameroon enabled ten water access projects in two years, bringing clean water to over 2000 users.
The vernissage will take place on Friday 1 December from 18:00 to midnight and the exhibition will be open to the public on both days from 08:00 to 17:00 at Casino Luxembourg.
