AQUAVITA Dress AQUAVITA German
Regina Frank's dress is inspired by the longest, most affluent rivers of the world. Following the rivers' path comparable to bloodlines or veins in the body, this performative intervention is a reminder of the importance of water for humankind. Symbolically representing the vital connection between humans and the rivers, like blood veins running through the body, connecting vital organs. Our body consists of 60-70 Percent water, of which 3-4 Percent is blood (7% of the body weight). Mother earth's surface likewise contains 70 Percent water, of which only 3 Percent is freshwater. Even though the percentage of freshwater is so low, it is crucial for human survival. It is the only water we can drink, nurturing the fields and thus our food and harboring vibrant ecosystems for many species.
Celebrating the human right to safe drinking water, first recognized by the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council as part of binding international law in 2010, Frank will be drinking water from a chalice and distributing water to people who bring a cup or buy one. The cups and glasses sold during the performance are recycled second-hand vessels signed by the artist. Regina also reminds us of the plastic bottles: 1 million per minute, that are polluting the environment. Find out more below.
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Process
  • IM PROCESS
    • The 23 longest rivers in the world inspired the painting in 9 shades of blue on the golden dress. Crafted from an antique massive curtain, the 5-meter gown is sewn from wave-like segments, showcasing both of its sides: one matte with a golden sheen and the other side with a silky shine damask, adorned with watermarks or wood patterns.
    Nile
  • NILE
    • is the longest river world wide with 6650km. Nile pollution affects millions of people: Sediment at the bottom of the Nile River is highly polluted by heavy metals like cadmium, nickel, chromium, copper, lead and zinc. Contaminants primarily come from untreated agricultural drainage and municipal and industrial wastewater.
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  • AMAZON
    • 6400km. Despite its vastness and importance, the Amazon faces a deluge of threats: a dam-building spree across the basin is disrupting fish migration and nutrient cycling, large-scale deforestation is destroying habitats and increasing sedimentation, pollution from mining and agribusiness is affecting aquatic ecosystems
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  • YANGTZE
    • 6300 km is China`s most important river. As China's economy has developed, pollution in the Yangtze and its lakes has multiplied – particularly from industries and agriculture, including large-scale fish and pig farming. Dams are a big issue too. More than 50,000 dams have been built since 1950.
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  • MISSISSIPPI
    • 6275 km. It is America's most famous and culturally significant river, and it is degrading due to climate change, habitat loss, invasive species and water pollution. Report Shows 75% of retrieved items were plastic. Top items include cigarette butts, food wrappers and beverage bottles.
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  • YENISEY
    • 5539 km. Studies have shown that the Yenisey suffers from contamination caused by radioactive discharges from a factory that produced bomb-grade plutonium in the secret city of Krasnoyarsk-26, now known as Zheleznogorsk. Biogenic substances, including nitrogen and phosphate compounds impact the river.
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  • YELLOW RIVER
    • 5464km. By one count 4,000 of China's 20,000 petrochemical factories are on the Yellow River and a third of all fish species found in the Yellow River have become extinct because of dams, falling water levels, pollution and over fishing. It is also called the "River of Sorrow," or "mother river".
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  • OB IRTYSH
    • 5410 km. Irtysh River is a highly important transboundary river. Issues related to hydrology, water quality, biodiversity, and policy were reviewed. Key hydrological issues are glaciers melting and large reservoirs operation. Historical and existing contamination need to be resolved urgently.
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  • RIO DE LA PLATA
    • 4880km. Threats and Future Challenges. Water and sediment contamination are the main threats affecting the ecological integrity of Río de La Plata, impacting planktonic, benthonic, and nektonic communities with population reductions, mortality, and disease that can affect human health through bioaccumulation.
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  • CONGO-CHAMBESHI
    • The Congo River is 4700 km long and the 9th longest river worldwide. It has been heavily polluted due to the discharge of untreated wastewater - a result of inadequate infrastructure of transport and wastewater from Kinshasa and Brazzaville.
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  • AMUR-ARGUN-KHERLEN
    • 4444 km. Many Amur tributaries are polluted with insufficiently-treated household, agricultural and industrial sewage and mining wastes, which contain arsenic, heavy metals (lead, copper, zinc, etc.), and. The Amur is most heavily polluted in its lower reaches.
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  • LENA
    • 4400 km. Even though large areas of the river basin are protected, threats from overfishing, overgrazing, deforestation of land for cultivation, and excessive water extraction for irrigation of croplands continue to be ongoing problems.
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  • MEKONG
    • 4350 km. In and around the murky depths of the Mekong River hides amazing wildlife. But this very important ecosystem is under tremendous stress from climate change, toxic runoff from farms, and a growing wave of pollution rubbish contaminating the water and the surrounding soil.
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  • MAKENZIES-SLAVE-PEACE-FINLAY
    • 4241 km. Oil extraction imperils water quality in the Mackenzie River's headwaters. Further, in the watershed's northern reaches, a warming climate thaws permafrost, inducing soil erosion and instability. Human actions and climate change jointly menace this delicate ecosystem.
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  • NIGER
    • 4200 km. Research indicates that oil spills and gas flaring in the Niger Delta have worsened social and economic problems. These encompass pipeline sabotage, unrest, violence, water pollution, and reduced food production, highlighting the environmental toll's far-reaching consequences.
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  • BRAHMAPUTRA-YARLUNG-TSANGPO
    • 3969 km. Among India's major rivers, it is less polluted but faces industrial (mainly from petroleum refineries) and flooding challenges. Sino-Indian tensions over water investments intertwine with its future, as border disputes and distrust hinder formal water management.
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  • MURRAY-DARLING-CULGOA-BALONNE-CONDAMINE
    • 3672 km. Drought, unsustainable farming, over-exploitation, and mismanagement jeopardize the Murray-Darling Basin and its dependent life forms. More challenges include land erosion, heightened water and soil salinity, endangering crops, plus algal blooms from excessive algae buildup in water bodies.
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  • TOCANTINS-ARAGUAIA
    • 3650 km. Over recent decades, activities like agribusiness, mining, and hydropower have concentrated capital and driven extensive land cover, hydrological, and environmental transformations. These alterations imperil the basin's biodiversity and crucial ecosystem services.
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  • VOLGA
    • 3645 km. The river is marred by pollution, sedimentation, and invasive species. Water now flows at a fraction of its pre-dam speed. Industrial waste, sewage, pesticides, and fertilizers contribute to Volga's contamination, often channeled from factories and cities. Pollution lingers in stagnant zones due to reduced flow.
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  • INDUS-SENGGE-ZANGBO
    • 3610 km. Degradation of Ecosystems: the excessive pollution and siltation of the river leads to major problems of decline in biodiversity, silt covers spawning sites for many endemic fish, diminished food sources for benthic organisms and also impairs aquatic organisms in the river who feed visually.
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  • SHATTAL-ARAB-EUPHRATES-MURAT
    • 3596 km. The water quality has become a pressing concern for the Euphrates River: agricultural runoff intensifies salinity problems that worsen along the river's course. Additionally, the discharge of untreated sewage into the Euphrates and its tributaries contributes to various forms of water pollution.
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  • MADEIRA-MAMORE-GRANDE-CAINE-ROCHA
    • 3380 km. Reservoirs eradicate natural ecosystems, while dam obstructions hinder fish migration, impacting biodiversity and commercial output. This infrastructure disrupts the delicate balance of the ecosystem and particularly affects the prized giant catfish of the Madeira River, vital resources across Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil.
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  • PURUS
    • 3211 km. Though the Purus basin is well-conserved, human activities degrade water quality near urban areas. Similar concerns across Amazonian basins emphasize deforestation's wider impact. Controlling deforestation is crucial, through cross-border watershed management, serving as a conservation model.
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  • YUKON
    • 3185 km. While generally considered clean, the Yukon River watershed has an enduring legacy of pollution resulting from mining and military development. The extraction and processing of metals, coal, and natural gas lead to an increased risk for water degradation due to contaminant release.