Water theme to cool down annual art fest Friday and Saturday

By Patrick Gough

Hit the streets in Davis Square Friday and Saturday to catch ArtBeat. This year's theme is water. - Photo by Christina Acosta

ArtBeat returns to Davis Square this week with an appropriate theme to cool down the scorching Somerville streets: water will be showcased, celebrated and discussed through various exhibitions of dance, music and interactive installations on Friday evening and Saturday throughout the day.

GroundWorks Somerville will be hosting a game called “Water Miles”, which encourages participants to think more about how far water has been transported before they drink it.

Two of the showcase events are interactive installations that allow festival-goers the opportunity to participate in the artistic experience.

Worcester-based artist Susan Champeny will be setting up a “Totem Island” on the main traffic circle in Davis Square. The event will encourage participants, both young and old, to decorate recycled detergent bottles that will be used as the building-blocks of several large totem poles that will be placed throughout the event.

Champeny is passionate about her work and says that the event will allow people to visualize the amount of space the discarded bottles take up and also the amount of water that was used with the detergent.

“It’s a way for people to interact, to have fun and to learn.” said Champeny.

Cambridge resident Clifford Anderson will be monitoring and organizing a musical, water based, installation that combines his interest in composing music with his efforts for community participation.

“I wanted to take things that we see every day and use them differently than what we are used to,” said Anderson.

His installation will include a set of bowl-like containers that are filled with various amounts of water. Participants will be given spoons and other household items to use as instruments, playing water to make sounds.