“ I hoped that the audience would expect the images in Western Waters to be natural sites such as the Pacific , lakes , streams , and be surprised that they are these constructed sites that appear to represent a natural experience ,” Khalsa says . “ I hoped they would consider how we relate to water as commodity rather than a
natural element that is essential for all life .”
Khalsa ’ s photographs confront gallery audiences with the value of water in the United States . We fail to recognize our privileged access to clean water as unlimited . Our personal daily water usage is rarely considered . At restaurant tables we will leave behind our water glasses untouched or nearly full .
For those of us who have never had to worry about where our water is coming from , the homogenous branding of these storefronts acts as a wake-up call . These images have prompted me to refuse the refilling of my water glass at restaurants , to remember my water bottle wherever I go , and to encourage friends to
take back the tap .
In most major American cities , our tap water is perfectly clean and accessible . However , bottled water is pervasive . Revenue from the bottled water industry approached $ 12.3 million in 2013 alone . Water is now an idealized consumer product around the world . A product that can be healing as much as it is harmful .
“ Water either sustains life or it kills you , depending on the source and the quality and delivery infrastructure ,” Khalsa says . “ All of a sudden , a disaster like Flint , Michigan happens , and people who haven ’ t trusted their water now believe they have good reason not to trust their water .”
Whether this mistrust is genuinely contingent on actual contaminated water does not seem to matter anymore . The fear of pollution has become rampant . We live in an age where a natural resource as vital as water could become more valuable , and in turn more costly , than even oil .
In her original artist statement for Western Waters , Khalsa wrote , “ These images will serve in the future as a historical document , either registering a fleeting fad or laying the foundation of what will become commonplace in our society .”
It has been nearly 16 years since Khalsa took these photographs . It turns out these images are not historical documents after all . Instead , they continue to be timely , to reflect the increasing growth of clean water as an entrepreneurial enterprise .
“ Today I saw three water stores driving around that I ’ ve never seen before ,” she says . “ They ’ re still popping up .”
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