PROJECT
UX OF SOIL I – SOIL ART
- Timeline: 1 Week
- Brief: Design an experience that explores planetary soil dependence
- Research Method AEIOU & Speed Dating
- Team Members: Gabrielle Bennett, Rikkie Xiong, Cat Achieng
- Key Deliverables: An Embodied Experience / Prototype
The image and identity of soil is reduced to dirt. Despite this lack of appreciation, current soil conservation relies almost exclusively on soil scientific principles. In so doing, it neglects cultural values and strategies, which could improve human perception and also ideally human treatment of soil.
This week, our main task is to design an experience that explores planetary soil dependence for this week’s project. During our kick-off meeting, we all agreed to visit locations that rely on the usage of soil.
A E I O U Research Findings – Flower Shop
WHY SOIL ART?
To encourage more holistic approaches to soil protection our community must open the doors to develop new perspectives by investigating trans- disciplinary projects. Soil and art, as well as soil and history and soil and culture represent just a few opportunities for expanding the scope of soil research and soil protection.
Soil art may be seen as a “vehicle” to spark interest and promote a wider understanding of the hidden resource beneath our feet. Artistic involvement can be seen as a creative phase in conservation, education and public awareness programs.
In this contribution, we aim to show how soil art helps to reveal the interconnectivity of soil, life, and culture.
IDEATION
SOIL ART CONCEPTS
Now that we had the ‘Soil Art’ topic as our main focus, the next step was to conduct speed dating research sessions.
We had a brainstorming session to discuss the concepts for our storyboards. Some of the ideas were quite similar to one another and we, therefore, condensed them to 7 concepts.
All of the seven concepts fall under the ‘Soil Art’ theme. They are; Soil jewellery, soil paint, soil collage, Soil sculpture, earthy make-up, soil sprinkles and soil ceramics.
Soil Art Concepts.
Our group speed dated 10 people in order to gather opinions and a popular vote on which concept they prefer the most.
We received a lot of good feedback and some welcomed constructive criticisms which allowed us to gain clarity on which concept direction to take. The majority of the participants preferred the ‘Soil Jewellery’ concept and voted it as their favourite.
Speed Dating Participants
Speed Dating Findings
OUTCOME
FEEDBACK
After our presentation, we received great suggestions from the class.The main recurring theme that was suggested numerous times by both the class and speed dating participants is that we should consider creating items of sentimental value.
REFERENCES
- Feller, C., Landa, E.R., Toland, A. and Wessolek, G. (2015). Case studies of soil in art. Soil, 1(2), pp.543–559.
- Landa, E., Feller, C. and Descole P., (2010). Soil and culture. Dordrecht ; New York: Springer.
- Scholes, M.C. and Scholes, R.J. (2013). Dust Unto Dust. Science, 342(6158), pp.565–566.
- Toland, A., Noller, J.S., and Wessolek G., (2019). Field to Palette : dialogues on soil and art in the Anthropocene. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.