Water moves/us

A community-led essay

“Suppose that you could mark the molecules in a glass of water; then pour the contents of the glass into the ocean and stir the latter thoroughly so as to distribute the marked molecules uniformly throughout the seven seas; if then you took a glass of water anywhere out of the ocean, you would find in it about a hundred of your marked molecules.” - Erwin Schrödinger 

Ocean Soup [9.05°N, 97.8°E], by Tasneem Khan

Water is always moving, never remaining in one place or one state for long. It flows through rivers and oceans, gathers in clouds, hides in crevices, and passes through the spaces we inhabit, constantly transforming as it moves. 

This collaborative essay brings together observations of water from different places and moments in time. Through photographs, videos, poems and personal accounts, each contribution offers a unique way of seeing and experiencing water. Together, these pieces reveal connections across landscapes and perspectives, showing how a single element can shape countless experiences.

Rather than offering a single interpretation, this collection invites readers to move between these observations, draw their own connections, and discover patterns for themselves.

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This map traces the journey of a single water droplet as it moves between the locations where these observations were made. Its path is imagined, but it reflects the continuous movement of water across different places.

Use the interactive globe below to find stories of water. Best viewed on a tablet or computer.

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As the Mojave poet Natalie Diaz writes, “Every story is a story of water.” 

Water slips between boundaries, carrying traces of where it has been as it moves towards somewhere else. The observations captured here are brief moments, held only for an instant before they, too, continue beyond these pages. Like the molecules in Schrödinger's glass, each is a part of something much larger than itself, connected to countless others across time, distance, and place. Together, these contributions remind us that no observation of water stands alone.

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Community Contributors (Photographs, Poems, Videos and Notes)

• Tasneem Khan

• Neil Shah

• Karishma Puri

• Kushal Puri

• Vinitha Mokshagundam

• Lakshmi Williams

• Natasha Rego

• Priya Mandal

• Fatima Ali

• Shantha Acharya

• Mehnaaz Abidi

• Sarah Abidi

• Samuel John

A special thank you to everyone who shared their photographs, memories and experiences. This photo-essay, centred on an element that is dear to all of us, exists because of your trust and generosity.

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