1.8 billion people around the world don’t have access to safe water and 2.4 billion lack access to adequate sanitation. Water For People is on a mission to change this. This week, internationally exhibited artist Phoebe Collings-James unveiled three new works, specially created to raise money for this charity.
Featuring taps and the slogan “Sanitation Safe Water”, these paintings are more literal than her usual work – “I’ve been thinking about Emory Douglas’ Black Panther posters, how he used art to communicate information to people who weren’t as educated,” she explains. “I’ve made (these works) super simple.”
On Wednesday, Collings-James hosted a dinner with Water For People and Absolut Elyx to unveil the paintings (which are on sale here). Adam Bainbridge – aka Kindness – DJed at the launch, and has also created an exclusive mix for Dazed, which is inspired by Water For People. In fact, each song has ‘water’ or ‘people’ in its title, such as “Waterbed Dev” by Heavy D and “My People” by Erykah Badu.
“People still don’t realise how big of a problem water is for people,” said Colling-James, explaining what drew her to the charity, “and how many problems in different areas in the world stem from that foundation, from increasing infant mortality rates to women having to travel up to six hours a day to get it so they can’t work.”
Listen to Kindness’ mix above, head here to see more of Phoebe Collings-James’ work and here to find out more about Water For People.
