Manifesto

Rhine

The Rhine River, one of Europe’s longest and most significant waterways, spans over 1,230 kilometers from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea. Flowing through six countries—Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands—it has shaped European history, culture, and economies for centuries. Its delta, shared with the Meuse and Scheldt rivers in the Netherlands, is Europe’s largest and most industrialized ecosystem.

The delta faces significant ecological challenges, driven by industrialization, urbanization, and intensive agriculture. Often referred to as the “drain of Europe,” it is burdened by pollution from heavy metals and chemicals, primarily due to industrial waste and agricultural runoff. Although cleanup efforts since the 1980s have improved conditions, outdated regulation policies, weak enforcement, and political support for large industries have hindered efforts to address emerging and accumulating toxins such as microplastics and PFAS, with agriculture being excluded from runoff regulation entirely. Extreme damming, dredging, and river straightening have altered natural water flows, reduced floodplains, and disrupted ecosystems, endangering native species. Rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns exacerbate the risk of draughts and floods, further threatening the Rhine’s fragile ecosystems.

In the Netherlands, the collective memory of a free-flowing river is linked to devastating floods, with large-scale technological in(ter)ventions such as the Deltaworks presented as the key to safety. This collective trauma has fed the prevalent narrative of heroism, where waterbodies are to be conquered, tamed, and controlled, furthering the nature-culture divide. The artistic research project Hydroformations explores the question of Rhine representation in the context of gaining rights for the river. Combining fieldwork, archival research, material experimentation, and technological mediation, the project seeks to develop new ways for the river to express its essence. These expressions may help change the narrative and forge new relationships with the Rhine. To extend this inquiry, the concept, structure, and history of the Waterschappen (water boards) are explored as potential models for representing the Rhine in political decision-making. These boards have historically managed water in the Netherlands; it is even said they laid the foundation for Dutch democracy. However, their relevance is now debated in modern political discussions. Can the Waterschap be reimagined to serve Rhine representation in the political arena?