The project displays an interplay between human actions, climate change, other environmental issues, and the resulting effects. It starts to question: Who should be held responsible when humans and nature struggle?
The Gonja Kingdom is in the Northern part of Ghana with its natural borders of the Black and White Volta. For the past years humans decided to benefit from these water bodies by constructing dams which produce electricity and water supply for irrigation. The Akosombo dam – Volta Lake (1963, Eastern Region, Ghana), the Bagré dam – White Volta (1994, Burkina Faso) and Bui dam – Black Volta (2013, Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana) are affecting the area of the Gonja Kingdom. These dams form a massive interference with nature and threaten the livelihoods of many people living along the Black and White Volta River as well as the Volta Lake.
“When water cries” is a story about water being hurt. It is about water not being treated fairly, it is about water not being respected and it is about water not being taken good care off. If we start listening to water, we will know that water can no longer bear all these pains. If we start listening to water, we will hear it cry. This exhibition is supported by the OR Foundation and Nuku Studio. Special thanks goes out to: Chief and Subchief of Buipe, Abdulai Inusah, Abubakar, Captain Nat of Buipe Queen (ferry), Volta River Authorities, Chief and Subchief of Kete Krachi, and everyone who agreed to talk to us and helped us along the way.