Art & Science project being developed by Joanna Hoffmann with the ASN Team in the frame of the SPIN-FERT / Horizon Europe (Misson Soil) program
On October 20th, 2025, students of the University of Arts in Poznań / Studio for Transdisciplinary Projects and Research participated in an interdisciplinary workshop led by Prof. Joanna Hoffmann with assisstnace of Mateusz Janik.
The session wove together artistic inquiry and scientific perspectives within the framework of the SPIN-FERT EU project (Mission Soil).The meeting opened with an introduction to SPIN-FERT and its central mission: converting agricultural residues into innovative fertilisers and peat-free growing media. Students were also presented with the advanced technologies employed in SPIN-FERT’s research, which collectively support soil regeneration and circular horticultural solutions.
The workshop then shifted to The Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus, a participatory art-science project that examines scent as a bridge between the hidden life of soil and human recollection. Participants were encouraged to reflect on smell as an often-overlooked channel of communication in natural ecosystems and in artistic practice. Discussions focused on how olfactory perception can reveal subtle processes within soil—its microbial vitality, its temporal layers, and its emotional impact.
The soil sample was prepared by SPIN-FERT scientists from ENOMONDO (IT) & InHORT (PL). For the sample, they used compost produced using an innovative method that combines waste from agri-food industries. In particular, it included three kinds of raw materials: i)residues from wine production (grape pomace – formed of grape skin and seeds), after the extraction of the remaining alcohol (to produce grappa, the famous Italian distillate), ii) the residues from the transformation into preservatives or frozen food of fruits (apple pomace – the peel and exhausted flesh – from the production of juices) and vegetables (tomato or other vegetable peels), and iii) the material obtained from pruning grape vines (shoots and vines). These raw materials, characterised by high quality and free of plastics and other impurities, were processed using an innovative composting technology, enabling their transformation into a pleasant-smelling compost.
Students learned that Decay—whether occurring naturally in soil or managed through composting—is the essential process by which decomposing organic matter is transformed into nutrient-rich material that supports plant growth.
Click on the circles to uncover the lingering echoes of the past.
This composition is built upon the intricate secondary structure of RNA, which, like DNA, is composed of four essential bases: adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine ( denoted by the letters A, U, C and G ). Each RNA molecule folds into a unique shape, a structure dictated by the specific sequence and pairing of these bases. The resulting shape is crucial, as it determines the RNA's function within the cell. 5′-ACGCAAUUAUGCGUACGAUCCAUGAUCUAGCACUAUGC-3′ |
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animation: Hugo Meyer
samples of memories
