Thirst: In Search of Fresh Water
Working alongside architect collaborators at Material Cultures, and with master thatcher Mark Harrington, we were entrusted with creating the entrance installation and material library for the exhibition Thirst: In Search of Fresh Water. Curated by Janice Li and accompanied by a book of the same name—featuring contributions from writers Robert Macfarlane, Elif Shafak, and Lucy Jones—the exhibition explores humanity’s enduring relationship with freshwater as a source of life, health, and renewal.
Complete installation of Thirst: In Search of Fresh Water
Our task was to craft an entrance that invited visitors to engage with the living materials that shaped the exhibition’s design language. Over several weeks, Mark and I made ninety large panels using sedge, willow, rush, and thatching reed—materials that speak directly to the landscapes that sustain us. Each panel was formed within a custom-built jig, which held the plant fibres in tension as we secured them with twisted wire, creating a rhythmic surface that felt both ancient and alive. These ninety panels were then suspended in formation in the entrance hall, becoming a striking and tactile invitation into the exhibition.
To finish each of my panels, I wove a Koboko binding, a technique I learned from Dutch basket maker Jette Mellgren, who in turn was introduced to it in Northern Uganda. Traditionally used to secure the tops of thatched roofs, the Koboko binding also serves as an intricate decorative flourish. In this context, it became both a functional structure—anchoring the loose ends of the natural materials—and a delicate visual gesture, softening the robust textures of the panels.
For the exhibition’s title display, I also created four willow panels in the same technique, forming the backdrop for the ceramic lettering. In keeping with the exhibition’s regenerative ethos, the ceramic tiles were crafted from clay gathered from the banks of the River Thames, grounding the installation in the landscape that inspired it. The texture of the willow contrasting gently with the smooth, soft surface of the clay.
Willow title panels with clay lettering
Thirst: In search of Fresh Water continues at the Wellcome Collection in London until 1 Feb 2026.
Opening night at Thirst: In Search for Fresh Water
