Rooted in Soil: Engaging the Public in Eco-Philosophical Inquiry through Art.

We recently curated an exhibition designed to engage a broad audience in important environmental and eco-philosophical issues entitled Rooted in Soil, at the DePaul University Art Museum.  The Rooted in Soil exhibition brought together works by fifteen artists who parse the cycle of life and death, address crucial issues of soil degradation, and propose radically innovative solutions that combine leading scientific approaches and fresh perspectives.  The various approaches taken by the artists in Rooted in Soil suggest ways to think about some of the most profound questions we confront as conscious beings: Why are we here? What happens when we die? What is our role as human beings in conserving the resources that sustain our own existence? By encouraging us to see soil as the primal matrix of life, this exhibition transcended the issue of conservation and placed us—our bodies and our minds—in an ancient and ongoing network of interdependent life, death, decay, and revival.  The exhibition was hugely successful, drawing a total crowd of over 4,000 visitors.  We also ran over 7 different programming events, some of which broke attendance records for exhibitions at the DePaul Art Museum.  This exhibit provides one example of how the scientific community could benefit greatly from increased collaborations with artists and art venues.  Art exhibitions that incorporate issues around soil health and degradation are an exciting and impactful way of communicating environmental and scientific concepts.