Artists create paintings using dirty water to highlight pollution in Manila's waterways

Over the past few years I've come across a lot of talented artists that create art out of non-regular materials. They make impressive portraits from melted candles, larger-than-life sculptures from used cardboard boxes, and pancakes that are way too cool to eat. Last week, a group of Filipino painters showcased some striking pieces of art created with pigments made from dirty river water.

"I was stunned when I first heard this idea," JC Vargas, one of nine watercolor artists, told the BBC. "It is so unique yet challenging for me as a watercolorist to use dirt to create art."

Aptly named Dirty Watercolor, the exhibit featured 22 paintings that depict everyday scenes along Metro Manila's most polluted rivers, from kids bathing and playing in contaminated water to people using the murky waterways for transportation. The project's goal was to raise funds to support a local charity in charge of cleaning polluted rivers and to promote awareness of environmental degradation.

"We literally had to dip our feet into the mucky river," JC added. "Just by simply smelling the air, you can easily tell that it is hard to live along these rivers."

Learn more about the story in the video below.

[h/t: TBWA\SMP]

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