Tania Candiani

The video, recorded during a stay at the Casa Wabi Foundation in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, in 2017.

Golpe de Agua merges sound, memory, and the symbolism of water into a multisensory experience. The work examines the elemental power of water, using its sound and motion as tools for storytelling and as metaphors for cultural, historical, and environmental narratives. The title, Golpe de Agua (Blow of Water), evokes the physical impact and rhythmic nature of water, connecting it with ritual practices from Mexico and other parts of the world.

In Mexico, water holds sacred significance in indigenous traditions, particularly in rituals dedicated to Tlaloc, the Aztec rain god. Ceremonies involved music, offerings, and rhythmic movements to invoke rain and ensure agricultural prosperity. The striking sound of water in Candiani’s piece resonates with these rituals, where sound acted as a medium to communicate with nature and divine entities. Similarly, contemporary “limpia” (cleansing) rituals use water as a purifying element, often paired with sound, to remove negative energies and bring renewal. Candiani’s artistic approach channels these practices, transforming water into both a subject and a medium for spiritual and sensory engagement.

Beyond Mexico, Golpe de Agua also connects with global traditions. In Japan, the Shinto purification ritual “misogi” involves standing under a waterfall to cleanse the body and soul, where the sound of water symbolizes renewal and harmony. In African traditions, water drums, created by striking the water surface, are both musical instruments and conduits of cultural memory, used in ceremonies to celebrate life and honor ancestors. These practices, like Candiani’s work, emphasize the universal rhythm and power of water as a connector of worlds, histories, and human experiences.

In Golpe de Agua, the striking of water becomes an act of resonance—bridging cultural rituals, natural forces, and artistic expression. The installation captures the cyclical nature of water as a sustainer, a destroyer, and a preserver of memory, inviting audiences to reflect on their relationship with this vital element.