Action is urgently needed, right now, to rescue our damaged and polluted rivers, to restore them as vital, thriving habitats and as enjoyable places to be in and by. At the UK River Summit in June 2024, speakers reiterated the criticality of the situation: we are at the watershed and we must act now.
XAP’s new project, Watershed, bears witness to this crisis on a very particular river, the River Ver, which runs through the ancient city of St Albans (the Roman Verulamium). The Ver presents a microcosm of this emergency: this unique chalkstream ecosystem has had a harrowing year, exposed to almost continuous sewage overflow between March and July 2024, causing extreme pathogen levels and ecosystem damage.
Garnering local raw evidence, we are transforming this into large-scale installations for the magnificent spaces of St Albans Cathedral, with accompanying public events. Through this engagement, we aim to convey the urgency of the situation and invite people to make a difference through informed choices and positive actions across the UK.