Tashiya de Mel

Tashiya de Mel about her seed grant project: "While trying to accommodate the growing needs of an expanding and very thirsty population, we are reshaping our earth in colossal ways. The intensification of environmental degradation coupled with issues of climate chaos is destroying our natural world at an unprecedented rate.
My photo series aims to explore humanity's intimate yet, complex relationship with water. It is a visual series that highlights the ecological and social impacts of large-scale dam projects of the Mahaweli with a special focus on the Knuckles conservation region. The photos illustrate the importance of Sri Lanka’s longest river, the Mahaweli; the life that she supports and the impacts associated with hydropower development on the natural and human ecosystem."