Description
Mustafah Abdulaziz [b. 1986, New York, USA] is a photographer & director based between Berlin and London. For over thirteen years his work has focused on the human impact of climate change by bringing vital stories to the public through large-scale installations around the world. His long term and projects Water & Arctic explore the artists reflections on our changing world as well as quietly and poetically signalling the scale of the challenge facing us… READ MORE
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.
