A ‘compostcubator’ as part of the 3SCD iteration at Chronus Art Center, Shanghai in 2019. (Photo: ZHONG Han)

Taking place in Perth, WA, biological arts pioneers SymbioticA present ‘Sunlight, Soil & Shit (De)Cycle’ (3SDC) – a provoking arts meets science project about the three elements in our utopian future that farming is trying to live without.

To be centred around a performative installation being held at PS Art Space in Fremantle/Walyalup from 5-26 February, audiences can witness a technological food cycle firsthand over the course of a 3-week experiment, which will see sunshine, soil and shit removed, in favour of artificial light, substrates, and fertilizers.

As well as the 3SCD installation created by SymbioticA’s co-founders Ionat Zurr and Oron Catts in collaboration with artist and creative coder Steve Berrick, the project also includes a symposium; ticketed pop-up dining experience with culinary masters Fervor; and panel discussions to be webcast as part of The Seed Box’s The Community Garden – an environmental humanities festival to be held in Sweden.

Fervor Emu dish (photo credit: Mick Sippe)

The 3SCD project tackles the issues surrounding the fantasy of technological-based foods.

“AgTech aims to automate and control food production, while non-standardised elements such as sunlight, soil and shit are removed in favour of artificial light, substrates and fertilisers,” says co-creator and SymbioticA artist director Oron Catts, “New knowledge in biology is changing our relationship to the idea of life, and by using aesthetics to intervene, sense and gain data about the different processes involved in food manufacturing, we are allowing the public to consider their own relationship to food and technology.”

The 3SCD installation consists of four physical elements, indoors and outdoors:

COMPOSTCUBATOR– a constructed compost pile will generate heat via metabolic activity that is distributed through a water flow to the costume designed tissue culture incubator positioned on top. The heated incubator sustains the growth of cells in a tissue culture flask to create what is known today as a lab-grown meat (also; in-vitro meat, clean meat, cultivated meat, and cultured meat). This type of “meat” is the cornerstone of what is now known as cellular agriculture – growing animal products without the animal.

COMPOSTCUBATOR

ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS (also called biocremation) chamber (using a hacked brewing equipment). Originally, in 1888, the process was patented to produce fertiliser. Today it is marketed as a sustainable alternative to traditional burial or cremation. In this installation Alkaline Hydrolysis will be used to make fertiliser out of bones, animal waste and general refuse (slaughterhouse waste).

Animal Tissue processed in Alkaline Hydrolysis system (photo credit: Jasmine Ferguson).

To complete the cycle, the fertiliser will be sprinkled over the HYDROPONIC GARDEN. The garden is lit by artificial light produced from solar energy. The plants growing are used to enrich the Compost. The artificial lighting for the hydroponic system will align with different geographical time zones.

Seedlings in hydroponic system (photo credit: Oron Catts).

The cycle is complete. An array of SENSORS such as thermo, CO2, PH, movement and cameras are used to collect data for display in the CONTROL ROOM, avoiding the need to look outdoors and actually observe the sun, soil or other ‘unreliable’ elements.

Team:

Oron Catts & Ionat Zurr – lead artists
Matt Gingold – creative producer
Steve Berrick – media artist/tech director
Chris Cobilis (SymbioticA) – producer/conference manager
JC Carter – Compostcubator (incubator) fabrication
Milton Andrews – web designer/developer
Kenta McGrath – documentary director/editor
Joseph London – documentary videographer/camera

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For more information on the project see https://sunlightsoilshit.systems

The project has been funded by the Department of Local Government Sport & Cultural Industries (WA), The Seed Box (Linköping University Sweden) and assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

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About SymbioticA

SymbioticA, based at The University of Western Australia is the first research laboratory of its kind, enabling artists and researchers to engage in wet biology practices in a biological science department. It also hosts residents, workshops, exhibitions and symposia.

With an emphasis on experiential practice, SymbioticA encourages better understanding and articulation of cultural ideas around scientific knowledge and informed critique of the ethical and cultural issues of life manipulation.

SymbioticA offers new means of artistic inquiry, one in which artists actively use the tools and technologies of the life sciences, not just to comment about them, but also to explore their possibilities. Researchers pursue open ended curiosity-based explorations, whilst still complying with ethics and health and safety regulations. As a mark of international and local recognition of its activities, SymbioticA was awarded the inaugural Golden Nica for Hybrid Arts in the Prix Ars Electronica in 2007, and the WA Premier’s Award in 2008.

Based in one of the top research universities in Australia since 2000, SymbioticA has developed best practice systems for dealing with ethics approvals and health and safety compliance together with, innovative ways of displaying biological, environmental and socially sensitive artworks. In addition, repeatedly supporting complex collaborative work has enabled SymbioticA to develop clear framework for negotiating terms of intellectual property in fields where there may be little or no reference.

For more info: symbiotica.uwa.edu.au

Art, Creativity, Culture, Installation, Performance, Science