What does water look like when you take the water out of, well water?

"What's interesting is that you are able to see it without the water,” shares Azela Santana, an Associate Curator at the Orlando Museum of Art.

Now through early May, the Orlando Museum of Art presents a new gallery by Maya Lin named "a history of water."

"All kinds of ideas about water, from the poetic, to the very scientific, almost environmental,” says curator Hansen Mulford.

The exhibit made of wood, glass, silver and marble is of great scale, like the central piece named “2x4 landscape.” The towering structure is made from 2x4 pieces of wood and towers over visitors.

"Maya Lin is one of the great figures of contemporary art,” Hansen confirms.

Lin's creations are known for making people think. Perhaps one of her best known works of art is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on the National Mall.

In Orlando, 'a history of water' explores what H20 looks like when it's missing.

"[Water is] something that is threatened and endangered and critical to our success here in the state."

The theme of conserving water and protecting endangered species is a theme that flows through the exhibit.

Is this a wave of water? Or a hill? And these rings are the surface of the earth.

"It is the landscape of the equator as well as the 74th parallel which runs through New York City,” Azela explains standing next to concentric circles on the floor made of marble. Each section has be carved to represent the ocean floor and landmasses.

Thirsty for more? Lin uses 10,000 giant pins, that could be misidentified as nails, to show Florida's Kissimmee River.

"As the light flickers on top of them, it creates a shadow, or sort of illusion,” Azela says.

Lin's vision was to showcase all too often what we take for granted.

"The main focus was to make people aware the sensitivity to our environment and how impact it even in a small way,” Azela concludes.

"a history of water" is on display at the Orlando Museum of Art through May 10, 2015.  For opening times and tickets, see the information panel at the right.

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