WATER & ARTS PROJECT - VENICE

It is twelve o’clock and the alarm bells are ringing. Urgent action is needed before it is too late to protect our countries, cities, and cultural heritage from rising sea levels and flooding caused by climate change. Climate refugees are already a reality today. Thanks to centuries of expertise in Dutch water management, the Netherlands is expected to be able to cope with a sea-level rise of up to one metre by the end of this century. However, many other countries are in need of more effective water-management systems.

To draw attention to this growing threat, we are developing a unique Water & Arts project that combines art, water management, and engineering expertise. The project focuses on flooding, climate change, and the historic construction of the MOSE Dam in Venice. Ellen Grael: “During my first visit to Venice in 2018, while taking a boat trip, I noticed flood-level markings on the walls near the central station, showing how high the water could rise and what might happen without intervention. These images remained in my subconscious. I also photographed the dark green seaweed growing along the quay near the station. In my imagination the flood markings and the dark green colored presence of the seaweed made an impression on me.

Later that autumn, I began creating my pastel painting series, ‘The Waters of Venice’. In 2019, Venice experienced severe flooding, and through social media I received many comments linking my artworks to the city’s rising water levels. This became an eye-opener. Through my Green Art project, I succeeded in attracting the attention of UNESCO in Paris in 2022. Yaël Thomas of UNESCO’s Cultural Sector stated: ‘We acknowledge the quality of your project, which gives special emphasis to environmental issues through art.’ Later The Green Art project developed to the Water&Arts project till recently but supplied with Science. The Fondation Cartier’s Artistic Direction also described the project as highly interesting.

WATER MANAGEMENT

European Heritage Hub have put Venice in the Heart of Climate and Culture actions

The Netherlands is widely known as a country located largely below sea level. For centuries, it has developed sophisticated water-management systems to protect its landscapes, cultural heritage, and historic cities. Amsterdam, like Venice, is a city defined by water. Through carefully controlled water circulation, the city’s canals maintain relatively good water quality and support a rich ecosystem of fish and water birds. More than twenty years ago, the Italian government commissioned the construction of the MOSE flood barrier system in the Venice Lagoon. However, the project experienced years of delays and inactivity. When severe flooding struck Venice in autumn 2019, the city was once again confronted with the consequences of rising waters.What will Venice face by the end of this century if sea levels rise by one, or perhaps even two meters?

Ellen Grael was present during  the International discussion draft organized by Europe Nostra and the European Heritage Hub community to put Venice in the Heart of Culture and Climate Action launched at 28 September 2023. 

Venice at the Heart of Climate and Culture Action The European Heritage Hub recognizes that: “Art and culture are powerful sources of dialogue for learning, exploring, experimenting, and building the future.

The Water & Arts Project aims to create an accessible and inspiring exhibition platform in Italy, preferably in Venice, where art, engineering, and water-management expertise come together. Through exhibitions, presentations, and public engagement, the project seeks to encourage dialogue about climate change, rising sea levels, flood protection, and sustainable solutions. As inspirational source, Ellen Grael welcomes collaborations and sponsorship's from organization, companies, institutions, and individuals who wish to contribute to this initiative.

Ellen Grael is founder and inspirational source of the project with 'The waters of Venice' series. Pastelpaintings and mixed media on paper.

Eduardo Guida, under construction, in negociation with Ellen 

Gerhard Winters is senior Engineering and Geohydrology advisor Cruxbv in Amsterdam

Gerhard is having a large connection network with CKI and other construction companies like Uhrig Bau in Germany and Energy EDW.

Paul Enkelaar is photographer and film maker: https://paulenkelaarfilms.nl

is a documentary filmmaker, cameraman and stills photographer and has 25 years of experiences working in countries around the world. Paul made a series of Photo’s in Venice when having high tide and floods.

Giovanni Cecconi Director   https://venicelab.net

Giovanni: “From beginning I was connected to the construction of the Mose Dam.( Modulo, Sperimentale Elettromeccanico ) My professional background is in technical engineering and socio-ecological work. I am familiar with building meaningful cooperation frameworks and contributing to content."For the new video version:

Giovanni: “My Vision is an anti fragile Venice & "Venice Walk" Regarding the content, I want to showcase and sharing my vision of a city at risk in these times of accelerated climate change, but also its resilience. What we will do in the Lagoon can be the starting point for a "Venice Walk" project, which has the potential to grow significantly in the future”.

“These two contrasting realities — the vulnerability of Venice’s stone heritage and the resilience of its living ecosystem — they are at the heart of our awareness work at Venice Lab CORE and I like to explain”.

Other contacts:

U U - University Utrecht: Geertje Speelman, Community manager. Pathways to Substainability

EEC-Italy.eu - European Cultural Center in Venice, head of Art and director Sarah Danieli and Lucia Pedrana head of Universitiy relations. 

Luca Berta, director Venice Art Factory https://www.veniceartfactory.org

For several years Grael having personal contact with Luca Berta and in September when she was in Venice during the European Cultural Heritage conference Luca talked about exhibition posibilitesin 2023 . Luca Berta is director of Venice Art Factory and gallery. And besides being the administrator of many venues in Venice having an exhibition overall Services.

UNESCO, World Heritage Center in Paris. The Culture Sector: Yeal Thomas was very enthousiastic about my Green Art project telling it has quality and is speaking.

Europa Nostra team is based in The Haque presented by Silvie Barends Malinovskà.  Europa Nostra has its focus, besides Venice, to other historical cities in the danger zone. Ellen had zoom meetings with Europa Nostra.

THETIS Ing. Giovanni Zarotti engineering concerning the Mose Dam located at the Venetian Arsenal. During the European Heritage Hub Summit Mr. Zarotti gave a conference about the Mose Dam and its slow down developments and constructions over the years reasons why its outmoded. https://www.thetis.it

Bas Ernst, head of Embassy cultural department in Rome

Alexandra Mitsotaki, president and co-founder of WHF. World Human Forum. 

Erminia Sciacchitano, senior advisor Italian Ministry of Culture

George van der Meulen. director of Compuplan Knowledge Institute CKI -Water management.