Making waves: ‘Waterways’ explores our relationship with the rivers and lakes that surround us

Water shapes us, just as it shapes the world around us—constantly moving, connecting, and inspiring.

“Everyone has a personal connection to water, but we often don’t think about it, don’t contemplate the meaning of it,” said Natasha Ritsma, director of Aurora University’s Schingoethe Center. “There’s a finite amount of fresh water in the world. How we’re living with it and taking care of it, or not taking care of it, is one of the most important issues of our time.”

“Waterways” at Schingoethe explores the social, political, historical, environmental, and poetic response to living close to bodies of fresh water. This original exhibition—co-curated by Ritsma and Doug Stapleton of the Illinois State Museum—features photographs, sculptures, prints, and other artwork from over 40 artists spanning more than 150 years.

“The perception of the Midwest is of this land-locked, cornfield-ridden area between the two coasts,” Stapleton said. “Actually, we are embedded between two significant, major water systems: the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed.”

One theme that particularly excites the curators is the collection of works that explore the horizon of Lake Michigan, from the photographs of Jin Lee to the paintings of Louise LeBourgeois to a painting by a little-known Chicago artist named Esther Johnson. Where the water meets the sky has an ancient tug on the heart and soul of human beings, Stapleton said.

“We look out at this vast, endless horizon, and what do we think of?” he said. “What does it bring up for us?”

Another theme addresses the varying perspectives on the changing climate. In one work, a photograph by Jennifer Steensma Hoag looks from far away like a Dutch still-life, but up close, viewers realize it’s a buffet of invasive species, including a terrifying sea lamprey, also known as a “vampire fish,” with all its teeth showing.

Ritsma hopes the art invites conversations about invasive species and their impact.

“We live so close to Lake Michigan but don’t know all the things affecting it, such as zebra mussels and the lamprey,” she said. “Our hope is that this broad collection of art provokes people to emotionally connect with the idea of water, and then think about their relationship with it.”

Artists in the exhibition, which runs through December 12, include René Arceo, Sadiq Amarea-Bey, Shepard Fairey, Chris Pappan, Yoonshin Park, Alison Ruttan, and Jeffrey Wolin.

“Water is essential for our existence. We can’t live without it,” Stapleton said. “Yet, we treat it like a commodity, a resource to extract for our needs alone. This exhibition aims to get people talking about the power of water to nourish and sustain us and to inspire us to a greater relationship with the natural world.”