Soil exhibition at Shanghai Pearl Art Museum

"In Praise of Soils," the first major soil-themed exhibition to be held in the city, is showing at Shanghai Pearl Art Museum through March 17.

Transcending the boundaries of architecture, science, and art, the exhibition presents a comprehensive perspective in the exploration of "earth," a traditional ecological material.

Featuring rich "soil" elements, the exhibition consists of five chapters from six Chinese and overseas artists and craftsmen, with 32 sets of over 100 exhibits, involving various media such as installation, models, specimens, images and paintings.

"The exhibition breaks through the scope of architecture and strives to present a painting made from earth, from tradition to modernity, from materials to architecture, and from science to art," said professor Mu Jun, co-curator and dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture.

The moving line of the exhibition is connected through three key words — seeing, knowing, and touching. The study of soil, construction with soil, and art created with soil jointly create a world of soil that is irreplaceable in natural life, offering an experience of our natural symbiosis with soil from a new perspective.

The second chapter, "The Nature of Soil," showcases the different properties of soil through various experimental results. "Dwelling in the Soil," the third chapter, leads the audience from traditional earthen houses to modern earth architecture, reflecting a comparison between ancient and modern ramming techniques.

The spotlight goes to the fourth chapter - "Earth and Art' that focuses on the new forms of soil in the field of art.

The piece created by Swiss artist Katja Schenker is impressive. Schenker is an artist who often uses natural materials such as soil and minerals for her artistic expression, "Dress" is a women's dress made of cement, as well as a documentary image of herself wearing it to engage in behavioral performance, and making the hard dress soft. She examines her body and the surrounding environment through a conversation with minerals and nature.

Exhibit Info:

Date: Through March 17 (closed on Mondays), 10am-7pm (Tuesday to Thursday), 10am-10pm (Friday to Sunday)

Venue: Shanghai Pearl Art Museum

Address: 8/F, 1588 Wuzhong Rd

Admission: 80 yuan (US$11.15)

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