The Dead Sea waters consist of twenty-one different minerals; twelve of which are found in no other natural body of water anywhere on earth. Legend has it that Cleopatra had travelled many kilometers to use Dead Sea compounds to cure her ills, and the salts and minerals for her beauty regime.
The Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean Basin for thousands of years. Today, tourists visit the sea on its Israeli, Jordanian and West Bank coastlines. However, the Dead Sea is dying, and its banks are collapsing as a result of human activity- further leading to sink holes and exercating climate change. The water levels drop close to 4 feet every year.
This exhibit centers on the Dead Sea, one of the world's most saline bodies of water, a natural wonder. Sadly, it is rapidly disappearing as a result of unsustainable extraction, and climate change. Through visual narratives, this exhibit reveals the rapid decline of the Dead Sea while showcasing two supporting digital photos of its rare and highly sought-after resources—Dead Sea Salt and Dead Sea Mud. Valued for their healing properties, these materials are extracted at an unsustainable rate, further draining the Sea, which is already shrinking due to water diversion and climate change. This exhibit invites visitors to witness the beauty of the Dead Sea, understand the cost of over-extraction, and reflect on the urgent need to protect this natural wonder before it’s too late.
Credits
Victoria Bierwirth