Water Hyacinth
Subhadra Devi Dassanayake
Artwork for ‘Pollution‘ (Issue 25)
The Science
This painting’s subject is the water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) in a bed of dark water. These plants crowd the foreground to emulate its invasiveness, often overtaking waterways and competing with native flora. However, recent work has repurposed the water hyacinth for phytoremediation: the use of plants and other living organisms to clean environments and waterways. The body of the water hyacinth is oil-absorbing and cellulose-rich which makes it a great candidate for cleaning oil spills. This bright flower is emerging out of the darkness in abundance, revealing a potential path out of pollution through a once-considered ecological burden.
The Medium
This piece was made using watercolour paint on cold-pressed heavyweight paper, it measures 9" x 12".
The Artist
Subhadra Devi Dassanayake is a Sri Lankan artist whose work is inspired by the natural world. Now in her sixties, she engages in painting and other crafts as a creative pursuit, drawing from her surroundings to express a deep appreciation for nature.
This image is linked to a poem in Consilience by Isabel John: Savior and Sin
Copyright statement. This work is published under the CC BY-NC-SA license