{"id":124,"date":"2020-08-20T14:52:22","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T12:52:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soil-laboratory.aalto.fi\/?page_id=124"},"modified":"2021-01-26T11:01:42","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T09:01:42","slug":"un-making-soil-communities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/soil-laboratory.aalto.fi\/un-making-soil-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Un\/making Soil Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Un\/making Soil Communities<\/em><\/strong> is an ongoing experimental project that seeks design alternatives to take care of the soil. The project brings into focus the aftermath of the glass industry through speculative and participatory design. Phytoremediation is used to suggest that collaboration with other species might offer solutions for cleaning the polluted soil. In  2018-2019, designers of the Un\/Making Studio \u00c5sa St\u00e5hl and Kristina Lindstr\u00f6m conducted several participatory workshops in the Kingdom of Crystal, a central site for the glass industry in Sweden. For the Soil Matters exhibition, the Un\/Making Studio invited artist-researchers from the Soil Laboratory to explore local environments in the aftermath of glass-making. During the exhibition, the Un\/making Soil Communities project expands to the context of the Nuutaj\u00e4rvi Glass Village in Finland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Un\/Making studio provided the artist-researchers of the soil Laboratory with tools to sample the soil, instructions how to sample and seeds from five different phytoremediative plants. These plants have been selected especially for their ability to extract heavy metals from the soil and store it in their roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By looking into traces of heavy metals that the glass industry has left on the local soil, we are reminded how soil communities are affected by human actions. Plants, worms, microbes and bacteria, but also humans, are members of soil communities. Through this project, we reflect our roles in the soil communities. Understanding the consequences of our actions and the potentialities of working with others can help us mitigate the impact of human activity on the soil and its surrounding environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.unmakingstudio.se<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.umakingstudio.se\/un-making-soil-communities\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Un\/making Soil Communities project in the Soil Matters exhibition. Photo: Tzuyu Chen<\/em>
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A collection of Finnish glass items produced in the Nuutaj\u00e4rvi glass factory, soil samples and seedbags displayed in the exhibition space. Photo: Tzuyu Chen<\/em><\/em>
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Field Trip to the Nuutaj\u00e4rvi Glass Village<\/strong>, August 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What traces from the Finnish glass industry can be found in the soil around the former Nuutaj\u00e4rvi Glass Factory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With some preliminary studies of intended locations, the research group conducted an expedition to the Nuutaj\u00e4rvi Glass Village. The investigation was led by artist-researcher Riikka Latva-Somppi in collaboration with local glass artist-educator Sara Hulkkonen. Several soil samples were gathered from around the former glass factory area as well as some specific locations of possible contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Riikka Latva-Somppi and Sara Hulkkonen looking at an old map of Nuutaj\u00e4rvi. Photo: Tzuyu Chen<\/em>
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