Empire of Dirt.
A strange new world where termites take over a city laneway.
Empire of Dirt was a large-scale experimental public art installation investigating the complexity of the living earth beneath our feet. It proposed a speculative future where soil biology may adapt to survive the ecological tipping point of the Earth.
With a focus on how public art can engage citizens in the governance of environmental concerns within cities, the project began by matching artists with scientists researching sustainability at RMIT University.
Artist James Geurts and environmental microbiologist Professor Andy Ball were selected to collaborate. Geurts researched in the lab for over six months developing an evocative, dynamic and thought-provoking artwork. The work combined sculpture and lightbox drawing and illuminated a busy Melbourne laneway in the heart of the University campus.
Roles:
Creative Strategy
Artist/Scientist selection process
Creative Production
Communications Direction
Public Relations
Stakeholder Management
Impact
Reach > 500,000+ in print, radio, events, conference presentations, panel talks, podcasts and RMIT University science, architecture, art EDM’s to alumni, staff and students globally.
“Empire of Dirt considers our relationship with the constructed landscape. Where does that put us as observers and participants in an interwoven biology with the body, the landscape and in the structures that we build?”
Artist, James Geurts.
Artists
James Geurts
Scientists
Professor Andy Ball
Funding Partners
Wonderment Walk Victoria
RMIT University
Collaborators
RMIT’s Centre for Art Society and Transformation and Centre
for Environment, Sustainability and Remediation.
Carbon Arts
RMIT’s New Academic Street’s Urban Animators:
Living Laboratory program
Lightscape Projects RMIT
Images
Keelan O’Hehir