London’s most beloved cultural hub, Somerset House, unveils SOIL: The World at Our Feet, to celebrate its 25th anniversary. The show is a monumental exhibition exploring the incredible, life-sustaining ecosystem beneath us. It looks at soil’s intricate connection to all life, its role in human civilisation, and its potential to combat environmental challenges. Curated by an expert team including The Land Gardeners, May Rosenthal Sloan and Claire Catterall, SOIL brings together over 50 works from global artists, scientists and writers in a sensory celebration of this essential resource.
This ambitious display spans three thematic sections, including Life Below Ground, Life Above Ground and Hope, and features new commissions alongside historical and scientific artefacts. The idea: to connect creativity with critical environmental dialogue. Works on display cover a diverse range of media, including new commissions from artists such as Sam Williams; Something & Son; Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French) with Juan Cortés; and Vivien Sansour. The multifaceted exhibition transports audiences on a journey across the world, digging beneath the surface of many different landscapes. At its core, SOIL underscores Somerset House’s commitment to fostering innovative solutions to pressing global issues.
Claire Catterall, Senior Curator at Somerset House said: “We need to start thinking of soil as something more than just dirt. It is part of a vast range of processes without which human life would not be possible. Only in the last few years have scientists really begun to unlock the secrets of soil, and there is still so much to be discovered. Somerset House continues to work at the cross section of artistic and social innovation; deeply engaging in the environmental and social issues of our time. SOIL is a chance for visitors to discover how this extraordinary, essential ecosystem – as diverse as the night sky is full of stars – sustains life on Earth, including human life. Journeying through the extraordinary stories that soil reveals, we want visitors to see the potential of this amazing material not only to transform humankind and the planet, but also to provide an important marker for a radical new intersectional, collective and collaborative way of being.”
Our Top 5 Highlights from the Exhibition
Vivien Sansour | Sansour’s invites visitors to explore soil’s intertwined relationship with human culture through stories spanning the Caribbean, Palestine and North America. Her installation combines soil samples, plants, seeds and other tactile elements, blending rigorous research with fantastical storytelling.
Marshmallow Laser Feast | Known for immersive art-tech collaborations, Marshmallow Laser Feast presents Poetics of Soil, a multimedia exploration of hidden microcosms beneath our feet. This captivating work reveals unseen ecosystems that sustain life, offering a dazzling perspective on soil biodiversity.
Jim Richardson | The National Geographic photographer unveils Big Bluestem, a towering 13-foot photograph that exposes the interconnectedness of roots, soil and above-ground life. The piece considers the delicate balance of these ecosystems and their role in sustaining agriculture and civilisation.
Ana Mendieta | Iconic Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta’s works reflect her deep spiritual connection to the earth. Her haunting and evocative pieces in SOIL underscore themes of belonging and transformation, emphasising the interconnectedness of human life and the natural world.
Maeve Brennan | Somerset House Studios artist Maeve Brennan contributes With Horses, a film installation addressing the impact of industrial waste on soil health. By juxtaposing human consumption with environmental degradation, Brennan explores themes of temporality and resilience.
SOIL doesn’t just highlight the challenges facing our planet but also celebrates the potential for transformation. Hope, the final section of the exhibition, encourages visitors to imagine a sustainable future through innovative soil practices and creative interpretations. Designed by Somerset House Studios artists Something & Son in collaboration with The Land Gardeners, this immersive space offers resources, readings, and visual displays to inspire meaningful action. Additional In-Focus zones, supported by Mars Inc., feature curated scientific insights and cutting-edge agricultural practices, ensuring that visitors leave with both artistic inspiration and actionable knowledge.
Through SOIL: The World at Our Feet, Somerset House offers an extraordinary deep dive into the natural world, linking art, science and society in a profound and hopeful dialogue. This exhibition is transformative and challenges us think more profoundly about all aspects of the ecosystem, both above and below ground.
SOIL: The World at Our Feet is at Somerset House, London, until 13 April. For more: somersethouse.org.uk
Words: Anna Muller
Image Credits:
1. Dr Tim Cockerill, A Diversity of Forms, Image courtesy of the artist.
2. Fly Agaric (detail) © Marshmallow Laser Feast.
3. This Earth 6, Soil, microbes, film, © Daro Montag.
4. As Above, So Below, Semantica (Jemma Foster and Camilla French), Juan Cortés. 2024.
