Ebbs and Flows: A Powerful Water Art Exhibition on Resilience and Change
In a world increasingly defined by the rapid change of current trends and uncertainty, the elemental force of water offers a profound paradox. While it can be a source of life and renewal, it’s also an agent of relentless, erosive power. It holds both the ability to nourish and destroy. This duality makes it the ultimate metaphor for human resilience. The art in the “Ebbs and Flows” exhibition delves into this tension, exploring not only water as a physical presence but as a looking-glass for our inner landscape. As the leading voice in the exploration of art and water in contemporary art, Henki Art presents this exhibition as a platform for critical reflection.
Hamnen, Ola W. Tappert, Mixed Media, 50 x 40 cm, 2024
On the Elemental Legacy of Water in Contemporary Art
The artists challenge the visitors to move beyond a simplistic view of nature and to confront the powerful, transformative grace found in moments of stillness and upheaval. Nature is not a backdrop, but an active participant in the collective journey of adaptation. Water is never still; it’s constantly mutating between states, reshaping landscapes, carrying memories, and forging the skies above. The gallery has gathered artists who approach water not only as a subject but as a living metaphor for the acceptance of impermanence, resilience, and the grit required to thrive in today’s reality.
The contemporary art exhibition opens a dialogue between the elemental and the human experience, where the shifting tide becomes a mirror for our cycles of change. In some of the art pieces, water is presented as a still veil between presence and absence. In others, it asserts its power, carving new pathways and demanding to be acknowledged. What threads these together is a recognition that flow resists boundaries. It belongs to no single culture, history, or body, yet courses through all of them equally.
Many artists have explored the themes of impermanence and resilience through landscapes, particularly John Ruskin, who was both an artist and critic. In one of his lectures, Ruskin states, “Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty” [1]. This principle advocates for finding profundity in depictions of nature in art. Also, he championed artists like J. M. W. Turner, whose work often depicts bodies of water and rain clouds to communicate emotion.
Moreover, artists like Basia Irland have dedicated their careers to water as the main subject and medium. Since 2007, she has worked on a series of ephemeral art sculptures called “Ice Books”. She creates books from solidified river water and then allows them to flow back to their source [2]. Part performance and part sculpture, each “book” tells the story of unity. We, as well, are composed mostly of water. Thus, shall change states, transmute and inevitably return to the nature that nurtured us.
Sunset on the Luga River, Ivan Alagakov, Oil on hardboard, 48 x 26.5 cm, 2022
Within the Currents
By engaging with the art pieces, viewers are invited to move beyond passive observation. They have the unique opportunity to evaluate their rhythm of life and find the quiet guidance that nudges them to step out of survival mode. Through water art, water reveals itself as witness and guide, urging us to thrive in the transition rather than resist it. The body of work presented is as much an exhibition as it is a current, carrying us into a deeper awareness of the beauty hiding in the motions of life
In Ola Tapper’s work, “Hamnen”, the juxtaposition of warm, earthy browns with a sharp band of cool colour immediately draws the eyes into a tension between solidity and fragility. Vertical streaks interrupt what could be interpreted as the surface of a frozen lake, evoking stillness and subtle movement. The palette creates a contemplative mood, suggesting the landscape is poised between upheaval and renewal. The layer textures built with a palette knife and soft diffusions reinforce this contraposition. What appears to be static beings suggests quiet growth. Change is latent just beneath the surface. His composition captures the fragile balance between frozen and thawing. A silent shift that is to come.
The other artists in the ensemble further cement the themes of rebirth and repose that come after the storm. The quiet after the ebbs and flows.“Sunset in the Luga River” by Ivan Alagakov exudes “liquid peace”. This piece is a balm of soothing tranquillity. The concept is reinforced by a palette of soft azure, lavender, pinks and deep blues. Despite being an oil painting, the texture subtly recalls the delicate touch of pastels on paper, enhancing the feeling of a calming dusk. The off-centre form in the bottom third of the piece, suggestive of a duck or a water lily leaf, rests upon the undisturbed surface of a lake. The moment captured here implies a serene stillness where “life carries on”. The artist has beautifully captured the notion of solace. Even amidst life’s ebbing and flowing current, pockets of profound peace and enduring beauty can be found.
Dance of Spring, Kang Ruan, Oil on canvas, 120 x 100 cm, 2024
Every brush stroke in “New Green” and “Dance of Spring” stands as a bold reminder of brighter days to come. Kang Ruan’s compositions foster a quiet awareness of having captured an image of water changing from solid to liquid, a visual metaphor about the return of warmth. The interplay of bold saturation and contrasting light offers a space of healing and companionship. In this first piece, the cool-toned greens provide the foundation for the blossoming application of peach petal-like strokes of paint. These artworks possess a distinct fluidity, where each deliberate mark contributes to the tangible sense of burgeoning gardens and vibrant vitality, almost allowing the viewer to inhale the fresh scent of new growth.
With this exhibition, Henki Art affirms its position as a vital hub for contemporary art and thought, championing new perspectives on water and shaping discourse across global communities. “Ebbs and Flows” is more than a collection of curated artworks; it’s a current that carries us into a deeper understanding of ourselves and the nature of the world. It brings light to the notion that enduring truths are often found not in brute strength, but in our capacity to adapt, to bend without breaking, and to find beauty in the face of change. By interacting with these pieces, viewers are asked to move beyond passive observation and recognise the profound connection between the natural world and their own lives. This body of work stands as an ode to the quiet strength of endurance. A simple, yet remarkable call to action: Lean into the flow of life’s ebbs and find the resilience that has always existed within you.
[1] Ruskin, J. (1859). The Two Paths Being: Lectures on Art, and Its Application to Decoration and Manufacture. Belford & Clarke.
[2] Borrie, A. (2025, April 24th). A River’s Heartbeat: Understanding the Stories Told by Flowing Waters | Basia Irland. Planted Journal.
Sissy Alcántara is a curator whose practice focuses on fostering meaningful connections between art and its audiences. She studied Art Curation, Art History, and Gallery Management at Mombo Art in Spain. Since 2023, she has worked independently, collaborating with artists across traditional Thanka, multimedia, and photography. Her curatorial approach emphasizes diversity, dialogue, and collaboration, with the aim of creating exhibitions that are both accessible and impactful.
