Water
MUSTAFAH ABDULAZIZ
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Mustafah Abdulaziz’s Water is an expansive, long-form photographic project begun in 2011 with backing from organizations like the UN, WaterAid, Earthwatch, and WWF. Over a planned 15 years and 32 countries, he documents humanity’s multifaceted relationship with water—from the scarcity in Somalia and Nigeria to abundant river basins in Brazil, the Ganges in India, the Yangtze in China, and arid landscapes like California’s deserts. Through large-format film images, taken on the ground and from the air, Abdulaziz juxtaposes intimate human interactions—ritual bathing, fishing, day-to-day usage—with industrial and environmental contexts, prompting reflection on issues of access, pollution, control, and cultural significance.
Rather than preach, Water adopts a humanistic, emotionally rooted lens. Abdulahiz intentionally sidesteps a didactic tone, opting instead for evocative storytelling that engages the viewer emotionally—prompting empathy and deeper awareness of water’s role in our collective destiny. His work earned recognition including the 2019 Leica Oskar Barnack Award and features in major exhibitions and publications—showcasing how water can mirror societal progress and imbalance, and urging viewers to reconsider their own connection to this essential but often overlooked resource.
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: No. 2, Hurricane Michael aftermath. Florida, USA, 2018
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: Black plastic shade balls. Los Angeles Reservoir, California, 2015
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: Pantanal, Brazil, 2015
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: Coastal erosion due to climate change. Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA, 2018
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: No.1 Hurricane Michael aftermath. Mexico Beach, Florida, USA, 2018
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: Water pump for 800 people. Osukputu, Nigeria, 2015
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Mustafah Abdulaziz: Mercenary of a local warlord takes shade under a dead tree outside an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. Somalia, 2013