Thinking with Soil
Floating University
with artist Io Makandal
Berlin & Johannesburg
What can soil tell us about ourselves and our surroundings if we see it as an active participant? In this workshop, we connect two distant cities—Johannesburg and Berlin—through the digital realm and their earths. This is a practical exercise in closely examining what lies beneath our feet, exploring the significance of the third landscape, and considering the historical, cultural, and social meanings embedded in soil. This workshop is a hybrid engagement with soil and the third landscape. Over the next hour, we will actively explore soil while also reflecting on geographic modalities as we connect Berlin and Johannesburg, where Makandal is currently based. To provide some perspective, despite being in the same time zone as South Africa, we are separated by over 13,000 km (or approximately 179 hours of driving, as Google tells me). Since we are navigating between digital and physical spaces, please bear with us in case of any technical glitches or delays. If you have questions or require a translation into German, please feel free to ask at any time during the workshop.
The Curatorial Approach: Thinking with Soil
This workshop emerged from my research into soil as an active political, social, and cultural participant, using this perspective as a curatorial methodology. Moving beyond the conventional view of soil as a productive agent—though its importance in global economies is undeniable, as seen with the wheat shortages caused by the war in Ukraine—we seek a relationship that recognizes soil on equal terms of care. This means acknowledging that soil nurtures us, and in return, we nurture it—not for profit, but through an understanding of its intrinsic vitality as a living entity.Maria Puig de la Bellacasa has written extensively on this paradigm shift toward the care of soil from an academic perspective. Her work, which we shared in the reading list, informs this approach. Within the context of art—which both Makandal and I are rooted in—soil and its broader relationship to food have gained increasing recognition as both material and living ecosystems. Consider, for example, Nigerian-American artist Precious Okoyomon, who creates growing landscapes composed of soil, plants, and other living organisms staged in galleries and museums. Her current installation, To See the Earth Before the End of the World, at the Venice Biennale, is a striking example. She reflects on the history of Kudzu, a Japanese vine introduced to the United States in 1876 to combat soil erosion caused by the extensive cultivation of cotton by enslaved people. Instead of stabilizing the soil, the vine became an uncontrollable force, earning the epithet "the vine that ate the South."
Similarly, South African artist Dineo Seshee Bopape examines gender, place, memory, and selfhood as they are inscribed into the land. While Okoyomon creates autonomous ecosystems, Bopape carves out political, historical, and social narratives directly within and with the earth.
These artistic practices demonstrate how different disciplines—from academia to contemporary art—reimagine soil beyond its conventional usage, uncovering new perspectives on the ground beneath our feet. Soil in art also raises questions about the politics of the white cube and the idea of the "finished artwork" as a commodity—an expectation these artworks clearly defy. Makandal also engages with soil in her artistic practice, exploring the processes and organisms that evolve over time and through different materials. Later, we will explore her work in more depth through a digital studio visit.
Soil as Everything
Soil surrounds us; it nurtures the cycle of life, defines planetary boundaries, and carries identity, memory, and possible futures. Yet, it is often regarded as passive, merely a circumstantial material. But what if we recognized soil as an active participant? What if we examined its granular makeup closely and acknowledged it as both integral to our existence and a being in itself?These are the questions we want to explore with you today. This is not a lecture but a conversation—we invite you to question, share, and participate throughout.
What Will We Do Today?
Today, we will explore the third landscape by engaging with its theory and ideas, as well as by examining the granularity of soil—what can we see, smell, and feel?We will also reflect on our relationship with soil and landscapes, considering their significance in Berlin and Johannesburg. What connects these cities beyond distance and borders? Each generation shapes soil into landscapes and cityscapes, and Thinking with Soil can be understood as reading the landscape—tracing how and why it has transformed over time and recognizing the historical implications embedded within it. What can we observe in Berlin? What historical layers define Johannesburg?
A Note on Geography and Borders
As a thought experiment, consider the Matterhorn, the famous mountain between Switzerland and Italy. Formed millions of years ago, it emerged when landmasses collided, pushing the ground upward. Geologists have discovered that the rock at the mountain’s peak originates from the African continental plate, meaning the Matterhorn could technically be considered African. This challenges rigid notions of geography and national borders, which often dictate our understanding of place and belonging.Soil as Memory and Experience
When we talk about soil, we speak of the ground, dirt, and earth—but also of memories and lived experiences. The Japanese artist and scholar Miya Hannan shared with me a practice in Japan in which land readers are hired when someone purchases property. These readers compile the land’s history—who lived there before, how it was used, and its past significance. Inspired by this tradition, Hannan created a project that transports soil from people's homes to those who can no longer return, offering a poetic meditation on belonging and displacement.This philosophical way of looking at soil reminds us to question what home means and whether it is truly anchored to geography. Through today's workshop, we hope to engage with these ideas, using soil as both a material and a metaphor—an active witness to history and a participant in our futures.
*images by Floating University