LOUISE PERMIIN

Design researcher, educator and consultancy

What if soil inhabitants took part in a co-design process?

Vibrant Soils #1 – Exhibition, Jordens Hus 2023

Vibrant Soils – Why care for soil health? is an evolving artistic research project that creates sensory tools and experiences in order to raise awareness of the connection between earthworms and soil health. Through a mix of biological, eco-acoustic and co-design processes, the project aims to forge relationships between ourselves (humans) and earthworms and to bring to light the important but often invisible processes happening within the soil beneath our feet.

In Vibrant Soils – Why care for soil health?, we use the grounds of Vridsløse Fængsel as our research location. In field work here, we investigated the local soil and captured unique sound recordings from locations in the earth around the former prison. We used these localized recordings as the basis from which to develop experimental methods and artistic interventions to activate sensory interaction and connection with soil and its inhabitants. It is our hope that the prototypes and artistic interventions on display in this exhibition can contribute towards an expanded understanding of soil health in relation to the lives of earthworms.

Exhibition view

Exhbition view; Earthworm habitats. Local topsoil and earthworms, 100 x 30 x 100 cm acrylic with wood standsExhibition view; Earthworm habitat
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  1. Earthworm habitats. Local topsoil and earthworms, 100 x 30 x 100 cm acrylic with wood standsExhibition view; Earthworm habitat
  2. Earthworm habitat
  3. Soil Sounds Room. Installation, speakers playing soil sound recordings and set of Sound Sculptures generated from the recordings.
  4. Soil Sound Sculptures. 3D prints using local clay from Vridsløselille Fængsel and stoneware, various dimensions.
  5. Studio Room with design and sculpture protoypes. Bioplastics and clay, various dimensions.
  6. Earthworm Room. Scientific literature and earthworm burrow visualization videos.
  7. Process Room. Process video on screen.

Field work

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  1. Collecting sound samples from the grounds of Vridsløselille Fængsel.
  2. Collecting sound samples from the grounds of Vridsløselille Fængsel.
  3. Soil Sample from site 01, Vridsløselille Fængsel.
  4. Transforming soundrecordings from soil life into sculptures.
  5. Printing sculptures with local clay.



Workshops, Jordens Hus, 2023

As a part of Vibrant Soils, our artistic research group offered workshops that invited participants to explore their own sensory interaction with soil and with the grounds of Vridsløse Fængsel.

On 12.11.23, from 13-15:00, sound artist Robert Rizzi discussed his inventive methods for capturing sounds from the everyday world around us and guided participants in their own investigations of vibrations from Vridsløse prison’s surroundings. On 18.11.23, from 13-15:00, artist and ceramicist Anna Andersen introduced participants of the 2# workshop to the basics of working with clay and the basics of 3D printing with clay.


Workshop #1; Recording sound from Vridsløselille Fængsel


Workshop #2; 3D-clay printing with soil from Vridsløselille Fængsel

“I have never thought oabout soil being alive, or that it says sounds”

– Visitor, 2023

“It is stunnishing how you can transfrom soundinto 3D shapes”

– Visitor, 2023


Project managed by

Collaboration

Funded by

  • Albertslund kulturfond
  • Jordens Hus