Water Project
Portraits of Lady Midnight by Juan Espinoza
WATER. An element that is so intrinsic to life of all forms and yet whose value is only recognized when it becomes scarce. Globally, we are headed towards a water crisis that promises to take place during this lifetime, our lifetime, if we don’t dramatically change the way we manage our water consumption domestically, agriculturally and corporately.
In the worldviews of indigenous peoples, water belongs to everyone and should remain available to all, as a common good. Water is sacred, water is life. However, indigenous communities have long been living with water insecurity at disproportionately higher rates than other communities across the globe. There isn’t one proposed solution to this problem, but there are many if acted upon in tandem that give us a fighting chance towards a common goal, to sustain life on this earth.
PURPOSE
As an artist, I am called to use my voice to activate change in how we as people connect with water, and to view it as a resource we must honor, love, respect and protect. If you truly love something, you care for it. Globally, we have lost our love for water. We are in need of change. Art holds the power to heal, disrupt, inspire, ignite, provoke, transform, gather, connect, release, remind, and reimagine. Art changes EVERYTHING. It is my intention to highlight the intrinsic, sacred, and irrefutable value of water through song and creative expression. Through this work I hope to establish pathways for diverse communities to repair, reconnect with, and strengthen their relationship with water as a resource that deserves their gratitude and respect.
INVESTIGATION
Prior to a recent month-long artist residency with Harmony Projects in Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, I assumed my investigation would be largely external, but upon arriving I was confronted by an internal voice. It demanded that I examine my own relationship to water, my own body of water, my waters. I wept. Through my weeping, I created my own water song. I felt connected to the weeping of all women in that moment, all people, all beings and to our mother earth. Our water holds a song, whether it is through our tears, our sweat, the water in our breath, it is singing to us. By allowing myself the space to listen to my waters’ song, I made room to receive others. I kept a journal. I meditated. I swam. I danced in the rain. I observed the ocean. I remembered.
During my stay I met so many people whose lives center around water. I shared conversations and lived experiences with a practitioner of Aguahara, a therapeutic water practice, a marine biologist, herbalist and musician investigating water pollution in the tides, a group of dancers who move partially submerged in the tide pools of the ocean, athletes and artists who sing and surf in the waters, and an indigenous elder and internationally recognized musician and activist whose current work centers around water. I was invited to journey to sacred waters, beloved waters of those living near Nosara, eager to share their appreciation of water with me. With much gratitude, I collected the sounds of these waters, of thunderstorms, rivers, creeks, and the ocean waves with my field recorder. All of these experiences, sounds, and writings helped guide the beginning musical sketches of my forthcoming body of work, laying the foundation for a larger collaborative project.
MOVING FORWARD
indigenous communities are impacted by water insecurity at much higher rates than any other communities. I will prioritize the voices of indigenous peoples within the composition of these songs, lyrically and musically. I am of mixed ethnicity, identifying as Mexican-Hatian-American, black and indigenous (Mexica and Taino). Currently, I have confirmed eight indigenous instrumentalists, producers and vocalists who share a love of water and have agreed to collaborate on this musical project. Two of the artists are local (Minneapolis-based), three are based across the US, one is based in Costa Rica, and the other two are based in Mexico. This work will be created in-person through one-on-one and smaller group meet-ups in various cities, or hosting the entire group for an extended writing session in a central location. Each artist would take inspiration from a beloved body of water. Their own lived experiences, the songs of their own waters and of their ancestral ties to water will guide them in the making of this work. This work will live as a compilation of individual and collaborative works created amongst the aforementioned group and myself. Once finalized, mixed and mastered, it will be distributed and made available on all streaming platforms.
Some people will be able to connect with the intention of the music by just listening, but others may connect through the story. Video documentation is a powerful tool to share a journey and give insight into an artistic practice. It allows for a deeper understanding of the urgency of why we need to call attention to water more than ever.
Each artist through their expression, gives permission to others to express themselves. Using this body of work, I will create a curriculum for youth workshops, which can be accessed online or taught in person. I have twenty years of experience working with youth in the arts, seven years experience working with youth in lyrical composition, and have created and evaluated curriculum for healthy relationship building primarily with indigenous, immigrant, and refugee status youth in Minnesota. While it is my intent to center community voices who are most impacted by water insecurity, I believe that this is a message and process of expression from which all communities can benefit.
SUPPORT
My collaborators and I are passionate about this project, however, we inevitably need to prioritize paid work. To date, I have not received any direct financial support for this work. I want to ensure that this project is completed in a timely and professional manner, and that requires that the artists be paid for their work. Our initial goal to create the musical compilation is $20,000 USD, with an overall goal of $50,000 to create an accompanying documentary and youth curriculum materials.
If you would like to send any grant funding or similar opportunities for this project, offer any in-kind donations or have further questions about the project, please email at iamladymidnight@gmail.com.
If you would like to send a donation, please do so at the links below and type “Water Project” in the description. Please type “Artistic Support” in the description if you wish to support me in advancing my career beyond this project.
PayPal: iamladymidnight@gmail.com (please check friends and family option before sending)
Venmo: @adriana-rimpel
Throughout my career as a musician, I have used my voice for healing, and feel called to heal my own connection with water through song. That connection is amplified with original languages that honor ancestral ties and the memory of water itself.
