In the current era, characterized by a diminishing empathy towards the non-human agents of our ecosystems, the essence of our relationship with the soil is under scrutiny as well. The “Status of the World’s Soil Resources” report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2015, illuminates a paradox: while our understanding of soil has reached unprecedented levels, the proportion of individuals directly engaged in soil cultivation has declined significantly across the globe1. This trend has profound implications, especially considering that approximately 95% of the nutrients in our food supply are derived directly or indirectly from soil, which possesses the inherent capacity to nourish plant life2. The disengagement of the majority of contemporary humans from the living cycles and agrobiodiversity of the Earth is arguably a consequence of prioritizing productivity and profitability, highlighting a pressing need for reconnection with the very ground that sustains us.
In response to this challenge, the intention of artist Saša Spačal is to leverage soil chromatography as a method for environmental engagement during the upcoming PIFcamp. This will be achieved through conducting soil chromatography workshops and the creation of large-scale textile soil chromatograms, which will serve as sound scores. Subsequent research will focus on the conceptualization and preliminary testing of a sound instrument designed to interpret these textile scrolls, transforming them into a performance tool that vocalizes the soil. This endeavor seeks not only to cultivate a renewed interest in the substrate that nourishes us but also to underscore the critical role of soil in sustaining life on Earth through sonic storytelling about hyperlocal underground communities.
- https://www.fao.org/3/i5199e/i5199e.pdf, accessed: March 13th, 2024 ↩︎
- https://www.fao.org/3/cc0900en/cc0900en.pdf, accessed: March 13th, 2024) ↩︎