DEAR WATER,
Performance, Video documentation
Dear Water, is a site-specific performance in which a human hands a piece of water-dissolvable paper, with scientific answers to philosophical questions on water’s existence and purpose, to a body of water.The three questions are philosophically fundamental, with roots in Socratic, Platonic, and Cartesian thinking. The three answers were scientifically accurate: the wave equation (answers #1 and #3) describes the spatial pattern of any water waves in relation to their temporal movements; H2O (answer #2) captures the components and structure of any water molecule. In addition, the paper used as the physical medium was made of wood fiber and therefore completely natural and biodegradable — yet another sign of human benevolence. In Dear Water, humans assume, impose, condescend, and presumptuously act in water’s best interest — philosophy, science, accuracy, teaching, and biodegradability are all human concepts. Water flows. In addition to human-centeredness, this work remarks on the sense of futility associated with the quixotic march toward understanding and communication.
Jiaqi's works have been showcased internationally, including at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts (New York, US), Brooklyn Bridge Park (New York, US), AMC Empire Theatre (New York, US), Microscope Gallery (New York, US), Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (Gimpo, South Korea), Jupiter Art Museum (Shenzhen, China), Galerie KUB (Leipzig, Germany), and on large public screens in Denver (US), Kalamata (Greece), and Rethymno (Greece).