CREATIVES

  • 574

the Museum of Edible Earth

The Japanese texts of this application are only translations of the English texts through Google Translate. We hereby want to apologize for the poor quality of the translation.

Geophagy is the scientific name for the practice of eating earth and earth-like substances, such as clay and chalk. Eating earth is an ancient practice and is an integral part of many cultures across the world.
The Museum of Edible Earth is a cross-disciplinary project with at its core a collection of earth samples, which are eaten for various reasons by different people across the globe. It invites the audience to physically question our relationship to the environment and the Earth, and to review our knowledge about food and cultural traditions using creative thinking. The Museum of Edible Earth addresses the following questions: What stands behind earth-eating traditions? Where does the edible earth come from? What are the possible benefits and dangers of eating earth? What engagement are we, as humans, establishing with our environment and non-humans?
The Museum of Edible Earth has more than 400 edible earth samples, mostly clay, such as for instance kaolin and bentonite, as well as chalk, limestone, volcanic rock, diatomaceous earth, and topsoil. The materials originate from 35 countries. Alongside the earth collection, the Museum of Edible Earth includes graphic design materials, photography and video works, online edible earth interactive database (www.museumofedible.earth), installations and performances. It fosters collaborations with scientists, artists, designers, researchers and cultural communities.
The Museum of Edible Earth contributes to the cross-fertilization between science and art. Geophagy among animals as well as geophagy among humans is scientifically researched. Papers about it are published in the journals on anthropology, history, psychology, sociology, chemistry, and biology.
The Museum of Edible Earth is a movable museum. Its presentations are mixed-media and participatory, often involving earth tastings, workshops, discussions and screenings.
Disclaimer: Eating earth is not recommended by food authorities and is at your own risk.

Intercoursing Clay, Collaborative performance of masharu, Kristi Oleshko, Anton Tarasenko and Ekaterina Sleptsova during Potok Festival (RU), Photo by Evgenija Beljakova, 2019

Museum of Edible Earth, Photo by masharu, 2019

Museum of Edible Earth X diptych in love, Product design by Basse Stittgen (NL/DE). Build-up assistance by Asia Semeniuk (PL/NL). Curated by Ola Lanko (NL/UA) in diptych (NL), Photo by Alexandra Hunts, 2020

Map of the Museum of Edible Earth, Graphic design by Luuk van Veen, 2021

Back