Zulu

Fluid and acrylic medium on gallery style wood panel. Glossy and matte finish with large partially exposed wood.

*This work is currently reserved. For more information please contact Vanessa.

2022

Description: La Mercy Lagoon, located in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa, has been unusually heavily polluted since 2009. It is a well-known place for locals to swim and fish, and is a vital source of livelihoods and fresh water for nearby villages, which have long suffered from this water pollution.

In January 2020, its color became inky black and odors appeared. Fish started to die due to lack of oxygen…It is important to know that this water comes from the Mdloti River, which then passes through the wastewater treatment plants of Verulam, where waste and sewage are discharged. The national environmental authorities warned the municipality to mitigate the pollution by risking criminal prosecution, but to no avail. This pollution has become a danger to humans, nature and the environment. What more is needed to act?

Vanessa was inspired by a photo of the lagoon taken by Luke Patterson to create her work Zulu to democratize ocean pollution.