Art & Science: a powerful collaboration

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Welcome to the SPIN-FERT art & science platform
Here, science meets art to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of soil health. At the heart of our mission is the commitment to democratise knowledge and raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil for a sustainable future.

ASN Logo Together with Art & Science Node, SPIN-FERT goes beyond traditional scientific dissemination. Art has the power to translate complex scientific concepts into engaging narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Through this unique fusion of art and science, we aim to make our research more accessible, inspiring, and impactful.

Our Art & Science program includes various activities and projects designed to communicate the importance of soil health in creative and thought-provoking ways. From exhibitions and interactive installations to workshops and performances, each initiative is crafted to engage the public, spark dialogue, and foster a deeper connection to the natural world.

We invite you to explore our art & science website, where you can discover the art projects inspired by SPIN-FERT research and participate in events that bring the science of soil health to life. Together, through the synergy of art and science, we can nurture a greater appreciation for the soil beneath our feet and the life it sustains.

Art & Science

Soil is not just a medium for plants to grow; it is a living, dynamic ecosystem teeming with life. The urgency of maintaining healthy soil, the foundation of sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and climate resilience, cannot be overstated. It supports plant growth, stores and purifies water, cycles nutrients, and serves as a habitat for countless organisms. Yet, soil is a finite resource threatened by erosion, contamination, and unsustainable practices. The SPIN-FERT project is dedicated to researching innovative ways to enhance soil fertility and health, ensuring a sustainable future.

Let’s join creative forces and work towards a sustainable future where the knowledge we share today helps to protect the planet for tomorrow.

Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus

Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus is an art & science project that delves into the intricate relationship between soil and humans. Using the sense of smell, it explores soil and human memory, combining scientific, societal, cultural, and personal perspectives. The creative process involves participants from various backgrounds smelling soil samples prepared by the SPIN-FERT scientists and recording their memories. These spontaneous responses are then arranged into list poems and transformed into 3D models of RNA molecules.  Printed from bioplastic and added to the soil, they will disintegrate over time, becoming part of the “living memory” of the soil and, indirectly, of the plants that will grow from it.

Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus is carried out by Joanna Hoffmann with the Art & Science Node Team. The artistic project aims to increase ecological awareness and interest in the circular economy in horticulture. It also supports scientific research on the garden soil (high-quality compost) that can replace peat in horticulture, thereby helping protect peat bogs and wetlands from exploitation. more info

Molecule 01: OrgHort 2024 Symposium
Molecule 02: Horticultural Research InHort in Skierniewice
Molecule 03: University of the Arts in Poznan
Molecule 04: WRO Media Art Biennale
Molecule 05: ECSITE Conference
Molecule 06: BAGECO Conference

Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus –  a multichannel interactive immersive installation based on the Memory Molecules Archive

Soil Aroma

Soil Aroma: a series of workshops communicating SPIN-FERT’s interdisciplinary research through sensory experiences, including compost assessment by smell and imagining soil complexity through music.

Biosonora

Biosonora: Art-Science project by Carmelo Cannarella at the PLANTES laboratory (Phytoacoustic Lab and Natural Terrestrial Environments Sounds). PLANTES  was created at the Institute for Biological Systems of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISB) to explore the connections between sound, nature, and science: it serves as a meeting point between scientific research, the arts, and technology. The laboratory focuses on studying the sounds of terrestrial ecosystems and the bioacoustic signals of plants, offering new perspectives on ongoing environmental changes. More info