Art & Science Node at the World Biodiversity Forum 2026
Art & Science Node (ASN) is pleased to participate in the World Biodiversity Forum 2026, an international platform that brings together scientists, policymakers, economists, practitioners, activists and civil society to address the urgent challenges of biodiversity loss and environmental sustainability. Hosted in Davos, Switzerland, the Forum fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and innovative approaches to understanding and protecting the diversity of life on Earth.
As part of the Arts at WBF program, Prof. Joanna Hoffmann presents two art–science contributions exploring hidden ecological relationships and human connections with the living world.
Breath of Soil: Memory Nexus is a participatory workshop investigating the relationship between soil ecosystems and humans through the sense of smell. Developed within the Horizon Europe Mission Soil project SPIN-FERT, the workshop explores how soil scents, generated by microbial activity and biochemical processes, can communicate ecological knowledge while evoking personal memories and emotions.
RhiZone: [M-Other] is an immersive VR installation from the RhiZones series that invites visitors into the hidden networks of the rhizosphere. Inspired by research conducted during the SPUN Expedition Mycorrhizal Wealth of the East Carpathians, the artwork reveals the complexity, resilience, and interconnectedness of underground ecosystems.
Together, these contributions highlight the potential of art–science practices to foster biodiversity awareness, encourage knowledge exchange, and create new ways of sensing, understanding, and communicating our relationships with the more-than-human world.
