Agua by Luciana Abait – A Breakthrough Medium at LUMINEX: Dialogues of Light

In 2021, artist Luciana Abait debuted Agua at LUMINEX: Dialogues of Light, marking a major shift in her practice from 2D photo-based and mixed media art to video projection. Known for environmental advocacy in works like her Iceberg series, Abait collected visual and audio recordings from around the world for Agua. She crafted the cascading piece so that its shifting colors convey different emotional states, creating a physical and internal interactive experience.

Drawing on flood-myth motifs, the work evokes cleansing, rebirth, and the sustaining power of water. Designed as a site-specific installation for downtown Los Angeles’ 1025 Flower Street building, Agua fit seamlessly within the existing architecture. Though it was shown live for one night, it remains viewable here, along with an interview with Abait.

For LUMINEX, an outdoor public art exhibition focused on healing communities, Agua fostered reflection on water as a sacred resource and encouraged public engagement with art in shared spaces.

About Luciana Abait

Born in Buenos Aires and now based in Los Angeles, Abait creates photo-based two- and three-dimensional works that explore climate change, environmental fragility, and their impact on migration. Galleries and institutions have exhibited her work internationally and across Los Angeles, including Los Angeles International Airport, Sur Biennial (California), Rockford College Art Museum, Jean Albano Gallery (Illinois), Lehigh University (Pennsylvania), and ARCO (Spain). She has completed numerous public art commissions, including Vistas, a 24-foot mural commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places for Crandon Park Golf Course, Florida.