VALERIE VAN LEERSUM

artist based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

PUBLICATIE BINNENAARDS

For a year, as an artist-in-residence, I lived and worked at Kunstfort bij Vijfhuizen for a week each season. From this place, I conducted artistic research in which I sought to build a deeper relationship with the GROUND- the thin layer of skin that acts as a transitional zone between humans and the earth.

On and around Kunstfort in Vijfhuizen, I selected one square meter at three different NAP elevations, each serving as a focal point for building a more profound connection. One square meter on the roof (+4 NAP, soil from IJmuiden), one square meter on the embankment (-4 NAP, once the bottom of the Haarlemmermeer), and one square meter in the bee garden (0 NAP, right next to the Geniedijk). I examined the soil in these locations from scientific, historical, and biological perspectives, but also on a personal, sensory, and philosophical level. This process was partly individual but also involved discussions with experts, passersby, and other stakeholders.

The exploration was an organic process in which I engaged with the soil by literally tasting it, writing letters to it, capturing its essence in clay and pigment, photographing and identifying it, and discussing it during various "soil dialogues." During these soil dialogues, a diverse group of ecologists, farmers, students, artists, landscape architects, and other enthusiasts and experts were invited. The dialogue was divided into two parts. In the first part, the group was split into pairs. With a bowl of local soil in hand, they interviewed each other using questions such as: What do you see? What do you feel? What do you taste? What do you experience? What do you remember? This formed the basis for a deepened dialogue. In the second part of the gathering, the entire group sat at a low table. Each participant was asked to bring an object that symbolized their relationship with the soil. The resulting roundtable discussion yielded a wealth of stories and traditions related to our land. While we are often not accustomed to expressing our sensory memories in words, they were undoubtedly present. The knowledge was received and shared with enthusiasm, engagement, and eagerness. It resonated with the beautiful quote from Robin Wall Kimmerer:"…and you begin to remember things you didn’t know you had forgotten."

Exposed: Kunstfort Vijfhuizen

Published: BinnenAards