Water Works: Water-inspired Art and Objects from the Fleming Museum Collections

June 12 - August 24, 2008
Wilbur Room

Water has played a vital role in the history of civilization, affecting all aspects of life. Battles have been waged, maps drawn and redrawn, and vast sums of money paid for this indispensable resource. Settlements have gathered along rivers, lakes, and oceans, whose waters are used for transportation, healing, and as a source of energy and inspiration. These varied relationships are reflected in the artifacts created by men and women to cool, heat, carry, and depict water, examples of which are exhibited here.

In Water Works, ice-water pitchers from the late 19th century that graced elegant upper-class dining tables are seen alongside water carriers from the American Southwest and holy water sprinklers from India. Contemporary water bottles and photographs of 19th-century European beach resorts reflect the importance of water across a variety of cultures. As the future of the world's water supply continues to be the focus of critical discussion, the pieces gathered in this exhibition reflect some of the important roles that water plays in human lives.