Henry Driver: Waterportals

27 Sep 2025-11 Jan 2026

Overview

QUAD is excited to present WaterPortals by digital artist Henry Driver, an interactive journey that invites you to dive into the hidden world of water. Through stunning digital landscapes and playful exploration, discover the beautiful microbes that live in our rivers, lakes and seas – the invisible lifeforms that keep our planet healthy. At once immersive and educational, WaterPortals reveals the crucial roles these tiny organisms play in sustaining ecosystems, while highlighting how they are under threat from climate change. Visitors are invited to explore, interact, and reflect on how small actions can make a big difference in protecting our shared environment.

Created in collaboration with leading scientists from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science and the University of East Anglia, WaterPortals brings science and creativity together to make the microscopic world of water come alive. Commissioned by LEVEL Centre and supported by Arts Council England.

Artist Bio:
Henry Driver is a digital artist and game developer using solar-powered creative practice to connect audiences with the natural world and inspire real-world change. His projects actively support the environment, including planting hundreds of trees each year across local farms and schools.

Henry’s work has been exhibited internationally in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, India, Japan, Portugal, South Korea, the USA, Turkey and Taiwan, while his video works have been broadcast on television in over 40 countries. In the UK, his work has featured at major institutions such as Tate Liverpool, Tate Britain, Whitechapel Gallery and Barbican, alongside commissions from BBC Arts, Red Bull and the EU Social Fund.

Currently, Henry is developing Treeplanter, a woodland creation video game published by Future Friends Games, which directly raises funds to plant trees and wildflowers in the real world.

Artist Statement:
My work seeks to connect people with nature in ways that spark both wonder and action. By blending digital art with scientific research, I aim to reveal the hidden systems that sustain life – from the microbes within our waters to the trees that shape our landscapes.

With WaterPortals, I invite audiences to experience the often-overlooked beauty of microscopic water life, while also confronting the urgent threats these organisms face from climate change. Through interactive exploration, I hope to create a space where learning and play coexist, encouraging audiences to reflect on their relationship with the environment and how small, everyday choices can contribute to meaningful change.

I believe digital art has the power not just to inspire, but to directly benefit the planet. That’s why I create projects powered by renewable energy and design works that lead to tangible outcomes, from planting trees to restoring habitats. My ultimate goal is to use creativity as a portal – a way to step into new worlds, reimagine our future, and foster a deeper connection with the ecosystems we depend on.