A Drop That Propagates

Fundamental to our existence, water is part of our very composition and surrounds us with numerous, distinct functions.

The Japanese people have a special relationship with this element, starting with the country's own geography. Japan is an archipelago of over 14,000 islands. There's water everywhere.

Japan has set an example when it comes to water management, consistently creating state-of-the-art irrigation, transportation, purification and supply systems, supported by research and high-tech development.

The country is also a reference in the area of fishing. The Japanese understand that nothing is isolated: the water from the waterfalls that passes through the forests runs into the sea like a river, carrying nutrients that will result in more quality for their fish. They know that everything is interconnected and that each step must be taken carefully and monitored.

Incidentally, quality is a key word when talking about Japan. This includes the excellence of its mineral waters, which directly influence the properties of its tea, in addition to the numerous benefits provided by its ten types of thermal waters found at the more than 40 onsen scattered all throughout Japanese territory.

The respectful relationship with nature is another basic aspect of this culture. And it could be no different with water, which is attested to by the many rituals in which it is featured as a centerpiece.

Brazil is the country with the richest hydrographic complex in the world and one of the largest holders of fresh surface water on the planet. At a crucial time in this debate, as Brazil hosts COP30 in Belém, the main meeting of the United Nations to combat climate change, we brought information and data from Japan that can help us rethink the way we treat water. And, above all, to take care of this valuable, finite asset.

To reinforce and praise the magnitude of this element in a symbolic way, we chose three works of art that feature water as their focal point, aiming to awaken a poetic, sensory viewpoint. For the exhibit design, we chose to reproduce the circular and concentric movement of a propagating drop. 

Natasha Barzaghi Geenen

Exhibition Curator and Cultural Director of Japan House São Paulo