Matthew Brandt, American, born 1982
Bridge Over Flint 24, 2016
This photo depicts a bridge over the Flint River, the primary water source for the city of Flint, Michigan. As of 2014, the water of the Flint River has been used as the primary water supply for the city of Flint. In the years since, the people of Flint have faced lead poisoning, outbreaks of disease, and severe financial damage because of the poisoned water and the shoddy infrastructure and governmental misconduct that poisoned it. In this image, Matthew Brandt plainly represents the often invisible dangers of Flint’s water to viewers in the discoloration of the image. Brandt developed the image with tap water from Flint as well as other substances to create this damaged and ominous effect. Brandt connects physically and visually connects Flint’s poisoned tap water with the river it comes from as well as with local infrastructure to demonstrate to viewers the dangers of Flint’s water as well as the reason it is so dangerous. Label by Caitlin Blomo