Welcome to the art & science exhibition “Digging into nutrients via urban agriculture,” on display at Valla Library in Studenthuset from the end of February to the beginning of May 2024.
Photo credit Teiksma Buseva
The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between a research group and an artist. In focus for the exhibition are research results about the flows of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen through urban agriculture. Especially for this exhibition, artist Elizabeth Carlsson has created embroideries to illustrate scientific diagrams and data.
My aim is to provide space to the emotional and symbolic aspects, and to inspire into action.
This exhibition explores how urban agriculture can contribute to sustainable flows of resources, support the supplies of food and water, and provide recreational activities.
Data collecting started in the spring of 2020. During a period of three years, the participating researchers collaborated with 22 gardening enthusiasts, resulting in 40 soil samples being collected and estimations of the quantities of nutrients added to urban gardens.
The researchers collected over 3500 samples of water leaching into four allotment gardens in Linköping.
Exhibit
Visit the Art & Science exhibition to take part of the artist Elizabeth Carlsson interpretation of scientific findings and see her embroidery work.
Photo credit Teiksma Buseva
Lecture
Welcome to this Art & Science exhibition at Studenthuset at Campus Valla, Linköping. Below you can take part of a lecture by Geneviève S. Metson, titled ”Urban food gardens and nutrients - balancing multiple sustainability considerations.”
“I am fascinated by Gen’s graphs and their aesthetics. They all look like small pieces of art, and some of them almost look like embroideries!”
- Elizabeth Carlsson
“The graph’s aesthetic expression inspires stillness and calm, and that is something I want to explore. My Sashiko stitches create horizontal patterns that cover a large part of the image surface. The small stiches next to the main figure are like little snowflakes. They create the impression of cautious movement. I feel confidence in life.”
- Elizabeth Carlsson
“I am studying the researchers’ graph No. 1 and pay special attention to the small figure to the right. I get an urge to place an appliqué on the left side of the embroidery. From an artistic-therapeutic perspective, this surface symbolizes the past, and the small figure makes me think of Noah’s Ark. It gives me a vague sense of hope.”
- Elizabeth Carlsson