xin lỗi nước (sorry water) (2026)

xin lỗi nước (sorry water) (2026)

Video still of artist holding glass cup in front of face | Photo courtesy Anthony Le

Anthony Le
xin lỗi nước
2026

Performance at Crow’s Nest
6:48 Minutes

I gather water from Rock Creek Park, a tributary of the Potomac River, into a glass cup. I bring this cup to the performance space where I set it on a table and perform a dance. When I think about how to say sorry to mother nature, I think about how I take my own mother for granted. The dance is acknowledgement, apology and hope for transformation as the water evaporates into a new form.

My performance addresses the aftermath of the historic Potomac River sewage spill in January 2026 which led to the dumping of over 200 million gallons of raw sewage into the watershed.

The act of gathering and transporting water is inspired by the Vietnamese performance collective Phụ Lục and their “Upstream Water” performance, where water was brought to the space, and members of the collective interacted with the water in different ways.

The live performance at Crow’s Nest was part of the “Holding Each Other While Pushing Back” exhibition.

Music: “Om Mani” by Mai Khôi & the Dissidents.

Cinematography: Jamie Nhi Vuong, Alexi Scheiber and Anthony Le

Production still of artist by the water | Photo courtesy Anthony Le
Production still of artist by the water | Photo courtesy Anthony Le
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