installation view of Unearthed
Unearthed show poster| designed by me
unearthed | on display March 2-8, 2025 | Levitt Gallery | University of Iowa, Iowa City
“It’s no coincidence that we named planet Earth with a synonym for “soil,” Jo Handelsman in A World Without Soil.
Soil is a finite material that is taken for granted, exploited, and is undergoing immense degradation and loss. This body of work invites viewers to journey underground and engage with a complex ecosystem that is rich in biodiversity and often goes unseen.
Recurring images of prominent soil microbes (bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa) reinforce their presence in the world and make them more knowable and relatable. Part of the fun is seeing and interacting with these beings that are invisible to the human eye.
The assembled microbe patterns reference aerial photos of farmland and quilt patterns. In referencing constructed farmland, the work addresses the history of Western agricultural practices and it’s adverse affect on soil health and stability. This body of work brings human-constructed landscapes into question, and asks how these structures and landscapes, both urban and rural...can be more compatible with natural processes.
At the same time, the pattern layout also recalls a quilt, emphasizing how soil microbes defy the constructed agricultural landscape in coexisting with plants to expand their chances of survival. Quilts symbolize care and community, which is reflective of the complex and reciprocal network of soil microbes and plants actively exchanging resources for each other’s benefit. In Symbiotic Stitching, the material is hand-sewn to represent the active role humans have in understanding and caring for the environment. As John Visvader, faculty member at College of the Atlantic explains, “Imagine giving more to the world around us than the gift of our mere absence.”
I view my process of making as a collaboration with the environment. I employ storytelling as a method of identifying and sharing the similarities and differences between people and the “more-than-human” world. In my work, the “more-than-human world” means viewing plants, microbes, water, trees, etc. as beings with their own form of intelligence and way of navigating the world. I encourage viewers to linger, engage in possibility and reflect on how we can be better partners with the land and wildlife to ensure mutual flourishing.
