Through the lens of living in Unit 5 Locust Street, Mark Shunney experiments with time, space, common objects and performance to reflect on how water is at the edge of personal, geological, and geopolitical change. Water shapes land and our bodies – essential to planetary existence and integral to native peoples land stewardship and spirituality. It also drives conquest and capitalism, which both move like raging rivers through the landscape – impossible to stop and with devastating consequences.

The artist draws on his experience witnessing the San Lorenzo Valley community buy back its natural resource from the largest publicly traded water company (California American Water Co.) for 11 million dollars in May 2008. He weaves in themes from his research on the use of water to expose cavities of natural resources during the Gold Rush, without regard of the impact on native populations or the landscape. He draws from the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient scripture hidden in caves of the West Bank, eroded by water and other elements. He reminds us to pause when we drink from the beautiful, precious water that flows through our community.