Jordforbindelse (soil connection)
traveling exhibition, Aarhus Libraries, 2024
Everything in the world is connected to the soil. However, the health of living soil is increasingly under pressure, making it necessary to understand the many ways in which we are connected to the earth beneath us. Jordforbindelse (or, soil connection) is a collaboration between myself, design researcher Louise Permiin and soil biologists from Aarhus University's Department of Ecoscience; an experimental project that lies at the intersection of art, science and agriculture. Through a mix of artistic, biological and technological co-design processes, Jordforbindelse tries to establish connections between humans and earthworms, as a way to bring to light the important but often invisible processes that take place in the soil beneath our feet.
The opening of Jordforbindelse was held at DOKK1 during the 2024 World Soil Day Conference, where Danish researchers, farmers and other industry professionals connected to the soil meet once a year under a unique theme. This year’s theme was: 'Caring for soils – measure, monitor, manage’. As a part of World Soil Day we provided a tour of the exhibition, a sensory soil workshop and an interactive lunch activity featuring live earthworms.
Jordforbindelse builds on the work of previous collaborative projects Jord/Luft and Vibrant Soils.
This project was generously supported in part by: Aage V. Jensens Fonde, Aarhus Bibliotekerne, and EJP Soils with additional assistance from the Aarhus University Department of Ecoscience.
+ World Soil Day 2024
The opening of Jordforbindelse was held at DOKK1 during the 2024 World Soil Day Conference, where Danish researchers, farmers and other industry professionals connected to the soil meet once a year under a unique theme. This year’s theme was: 'Caring for soils – measure, monitor, manage’. As a part of World Soil Day we provided a tour of the exhibition, a sensory soil workshop and an interactive lunch activity featuring live earthworms.
Jordforbindelse builds on the work of previous collaborative projects Jord/Luft and Vibrant Soils.
This project was generously supported in part by: Aage V. Jensens Fonde, Aarhus Bibliotekerne, and EJP Soils with additional assistance from the Aarhus University Department of Ecoscience.
+ World Soil Day 2024
Exhibition view, project posters.
Exhibition view, earthworm terrarium and specimen shelves.
Exhibition view.
Exhibition view, worm casting specimens.
Exhibition view, project booklet and reading station.
Exhibition view, soil sounds listening station.
Presenting at the World Soil Day conference, 2024.
Conference audience meditating on soil, World Soil Day, 2024.
Live earthworm table centerpieces, World Soil Day conference, 2024.
Process video showing footage from our investigation of different soils under the microscope.