In an age characterised by the entangled crises of climate change and political upheaval, how can compost be used as a method for social transformation?
On occasion of the 22nd World Congress of Soil Science – Crossing Boundaries, Changing Society, happening in Glasgow from the 31 July to 5 August, the Centre for Contemporary Art Glasgow will host an exhibition and outreach program exploring issues of food sovereignty, waste streams, allotment politics, right to land movements, seed saving initiatives, and soils as relational bodies. The exhibition ***We Are Compost / Composting the We*** will take place from 29 July to 10 September 2022.
We invite WCSS guests to contribute to a growing research installation consisting of literature and objects that provide visitors with a richness of information about soils sourced from scientists, artists, farmers, and other practitioners.
Research Lounge
Please donate old and new (text)books, brochures, posters, maps and pictures to the We Are Compost / Composting the We research lounge. Place materials in the RESEARCH donation box at the 22WCSS. Video and audio materials (e.g. interviews, site recordings, etc.) are also welcome. Please label your contribution with a title, donor name, date and place of origin and any other important information. Based on the amount and type of materials received, a selection will be made for the research lounge. Works not included may be available for collection after the exhibition or donated to the library.
Compost Heap
Have you cleaned out your office lately? Please donate any old paper printouts of raw data, scatter plots, anonymised reviewers comments, maps or field notes to the CCA’s compost heap. Place materials in the COMPOST donation box at the 22WCSS, or bring them in person to the CCA when you visit Glasgow. These materials celebrate the “messiness”, risk, and unpredictability of soil science. They will be shredded and literally composted into Asad Raza’s soil installation ‘Absorption’ with locally sourced organic materials, becoming part of a sculptural commons. Please mention the title, authors, date and place of origin – or the request to keep materials anonymous – and any other important information along with your submission.
We thank you very much for your submissions and will keep you (com)posted on upcoming events.
Let’s soil humanity together!
