Water project by Nonhuman Nonsense
19/1 2025
Haunted Waters - the Chemical Cocktail Bar
“Pollution, contamination, forever chemicals… What have we done?! OMG! I need a glass…
Welcome to the Haunted Waters Bar—a growing collection of contaminated waters. Here, you’ll find a menu featuring a variety of water samples from around the world, submitted by activists, scientists, swimmers, citizens, and friends. Some samples come from lakes, rivers, and the sea, while others are filled from the tap. While they may all look similar, each water is haunted by a multitude of ‘spirits’ telling different stories—stories that speak of the past, of decisions made by those in power, of struggles, accidents, wars, greed, and action.
Chemicals in water are not unlike ghosts – they haunt and alter beings and places, are often invisible to the naked eye, relate to historic injustice, and are trapped in places they were not meant to be. The complexity of chemical cocktails hinders research on their negative impact on health and environment. The destruction of ecosystems and disruption of communities conjures these eerie beings into existence; the spirits have awakened!”
Read more about the project here!
Lake Vättern is represented in this bar with the cocktail CRAY FUSS:
“Loaded with tireless determination, PFAS, a complex group of highly fluorinated spirits, also called Forever Chemicals, have made their way into Lake Vättern in Sweden, where they have taken a firm hold on the lacustrine ecosystem. Quench your thirst with the habitat of the now inedible crayfish, which today can contain up to 14,000 nanograms PFAS per kilo. With its magnificent resistance towards fat, dirt and water, PFAS is a highly appreciated ingredient in goods and chemical products, such as cosmetics and impregnation. Mixed into the water, the PFAS spirit comes alive, creating a multifaceted cocktail with a long aftertaste. Sense the notes of a global symphony of pollutants, perfectly balanced with the site-specific pleasures of Swedish inland.”
By Nonhuman Nonsense & Caterina Cacciatori (EU JRC water quality lab)
Produced by the JRC SciArt
Haunted Waters for NaturArchy catalogue, at SciArt: Science art society, Brussels
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On the note of PFAS - but in Swedish - listen to two recently launched episodes of Klotet:
Del 1: PFAS-gifternas svindlande miljardnota, 14 januari 2025
Del 2: PFAS-striden i EU och industrins missvisande kampanjer, 14 januari 2025