Taking Vienna’s groundwater and drinking water as its starting point, the project explores the conditions that allow water to be absorbed, held, filtered and released. How does water interact with the bodies of a city – its inhabitants, soils, organisms and infrastructures? What traces do these encounters leave in the water?

At its heart lies the question: What does it mean to be a good host to water? The Manifesto of Hosting Water explores, from a multispecies perspective, qualities that sustain both water-retaining landscapes and resilient communities: openness, permeability, attentiveness, care and time.

The project combines artistic research, scientific knowledge and sensory experiences. The photographic series Vienna, Told by Water presents dark-field microscopy images of different water samples collected across Vienna. Interactive maps and data-based visualisations on the digital platform offer further perspectives on the city’s water flows.

The Sponge Well and Sponge Vessels are interactive sculptures made from cellulose sponge material, inviting visitors to physically experience the absorption, retention and release of water. The performance Proclamation of the Manifesto of Hosting Water translates the ideas of the manifesto into a shared physical and sensory experience. Performances, workshops and interventions in public space invite people to explore and rethink their relationship with water.

Hosting Water approaches water not merely as a resource, but as a connecting element that flows through and transforms landscapes, bodies and communities. The project raises questions about our responsibility for the water that travels through us – and for those who come after us.

Project website: hostingwater.site