When art and science collaborate: Andreco's project on river water protection

The first year of Flumen has ended in Rome. Climate Actions for Parks and Rivers in Rome between Art and Science, the art project conceived by Andreco (Andrea Conte; Rome, 1978), one of the most appreciated contemporary artists on the Italian scene as well as an engineer specializing in environmental sustainability. The project, promoted by the cultural association Climate Art Project, has a duration of three years and intends to combine scientific popularization and contemporary art, addressing increasingly urgent environmental and climate issues, which in this case concern Rome’s rivers, aiming to raise awareness about the protection of rivers and parks in an urban ecosystem. Indeed, according to Andreco, rivers and parks are vectors for sustainable mobility, ecosystem services, blue and green infrastructure, and are also a backbone for the sustainability of the entire city. Taking care of rivers and parks therefore becomes critical to the health of the city and its residents.

The project, in 2020, took place in the arc of six meetings during which different groups of Rome’s inhabitants, following the artist with the typical black flags that distinguish Andreco’s performances, walked along the banks of the Aniene and Tiber rivers within the city’s territory and analyzed their waters. Flumen was then followed by a research team, composed of Laura Passatore for CNR, Patrizia Brunetti for La Sapienza, Simona Ceschin for Roma Tre, Andreco himself for Climate Art Project and Andreco studio and Marta Del Giudice for Insieme per l’Aniene Onlus. As part of the project, scientific data on river water quality was collected through a series of activities designed for audiences of all age groups. And thanks to scientific partners who conducted theoretical and practical workshops, citizens learned basic techniques for water quality analysis, and received introductory elements for performing environmental monitoring. This is knowledge that builds a very important cultural background to develop both a critical awareness of polluters and an active spirit to limit impacts and find solutions for ecosystem regeneration.

But there was more than just the analysis of water collected during the project: in fact, data sets provided by Arpa Lazio on the water quality of the Aniene and Tiber rivers before and after their confluence with the Aniene between 2015 and 2018 were studied to have a scenario on trends in river water pollution rates and environmental criticalities. In addition, the research team designed a series of planting interventions, based on phytoremediation and phytoremediation techniques, with the aim of improving soil and water quality, to be implemented in spring 2021.

In order to consider the ecological status of water bodies, and the resulting water quality, the Pollution Level of two Macro Descriptors (LIMs), among those in the 2009 and 2010 supplements to the Unified Decree on Environmental Matters 152/2006, namely the concentration of nitrates and the amount of oxygen present, were considered. The concentration of mercury, considered one of the Priority Hazardous Substances (PP), was also evaluated. The amount of nitrates is an indication of contamination resulting from agricultural practices and human activities; the higher their concentration the poorer the water quality. Both the Tiber and the Aniene showed an amount of nitrate corresponding to a poor quality level (New LIMeco Index).

The amount of dissolved oxygen, which is also closely related to the presence of nitrates, is a measure of the impact of the pollutant load that initiates oxidation processes by consuming oxygen and causing eutrophication phenomena, thus uncontrolled growth of algae that results in worsening water quality. ARPA data showed low oxygen concentration in both rivers, corresponding to poor water quality (New Indexe LIMeco). What is interesting is that despite the fact that the absolute value of both analyzed indices is the same for the two watercourses, the Aniene shows an increasing trend in the values of both Macrodescriptor parameters, confirming a worsening over the years of its water quality. Based on the water flows affecting the Valle dell’Aniene Nature Reserve and the green infrastructure already in place, a “green room” consisting of concentric circles of poplars and willows has been designed. The facility will function both as a filter for storm and flood waters flowing into the river, and as a place to meet and provide information on phytotechnology as a solution to water pollution.

Flumen will now return in the spring with more meetings open to all by reservation: for updates, you can check the association’s website(www.climateartproject.com) and social channels. The 2021 and 2022 meetings also include artistic returns by Andreco for the Flumen project at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni and the Maxxi Museum in Rome. Flumen. Climate Actions for Parks and Rivers in Rome between Art and Science, conceived by artist and engineer specializing in environmental sustainability Andreco and promoted by the cultural association Climate Art Project. The project is a winner of the Public Notice EUREKA!ROMA20202021-2022 and is part of ROMARAMA 2020, the cultural program schedule promoted by Roma Capitale, and is realized in collaboration with an important network of scientific and artistic partners: CNR IRET - Università degli Studi La Sapienza, Università degli Studi di Roma TRE, MAXXI- Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Azienda Speciale Palaexpo, Fondazione Baruchello, Insieme per l’Aniene Onlus, CSA-Semi di Comunità, smART Foundation - pole for art, ARPA LAZIO, Agenda Tevere and Contratto di Fiume Tevere, Joint Cultural Initiatives.

Pictured is a moment from the project.

When art and science collaborate: Andreco's project on river water protection

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