JÖRD – A Soil Workshop at NOBA, Norwegian Bioart Arena
The first workshop by the State of the Art Network explores living matter and dives deep into the knowledge of soil. It connects the soil-inclined Nordic network of artists and researchers, inviting the participants to literally plant their feet and to feed their guts and minds. The workshop takes place in Oslo, Norway, 24-26 March 2021, but most of the participants work remotely with a special workshop kit delivered to them in advance, sharing experiences and knowledge from a safe distance.
In Norse mythology, in the manuscripts of Gylfaginning, Jörd is one of the giants from the Norse stories of beginning – equal to Nótt (night) and Dagr (day). Our relation to, and ancient narratives of, the soil as the life-giver, is present in many mythologies. A long time has passed since we primarily served the soil for our existence, somehow along the way we seem to have lost our strong connection with, and deeper understanding of cultivating the ground we walk on. Or we might even say losing connection with ourselves, as soil and the human gut contain approximately the same number of active microorganisms. The number of microorganisms in our guts has slowly been diminishing, as we have gotten accustomed to urban living with an increasing diet of increasingly processed food. As we know, microorganisms are also affecting our moods and the gut is also part of controlling our brain – this is becoming an interlinked chain. Slowly we are realizing that we must cultivate our soil, relearn how to create the best conditions for growing life, cultivate our guts and revitalize our soul and brain. So lets’ get dirty and in contact with the soul of the soil!
