BREMNER BENEDICT

Springs were essential to our survival for millennia, yet today they are all but forgotten. Since 1900, 85% are gone due to overuse and drought.. In the past 7 years I’ve been photographing all types of springs in a variety of conditions in the aridlands of North America. Called windows into the earth, they reveal the health and longevity of their underground aquifers and have become a bellwether for the region’s water scarcity. 

 Being an artist who is passionate about the water crisis in the West, I am drawn to their unseen story whose importance is misunderstood. Art can add depth and meaning to science. I chose to emphasize the fragility of these springs muting the colors in my photographs to evoke an emotional connection with the natural world. Springs have survived human and natural onslaughts but now they are vulnerable. They are considered one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems. If these biologically diverse, culturally important, and historically rich ecosystems are lost, our ability to live in arid lands will be impacted as well.

 Yet there is still hope. If the aquifers that support them are intact, springs have the potential to be adequately restored for both human and natural purposes. By spotlighting these few remaining before they are gone, I want this work to reflect their value and predicament while encouraging a call to action for their protection.