Press Release
Field Observatory is a temporary public artwork of Teemu Lehmusruusu situated by the pond of Hanhipuisto at the Kirjurinluoto park in Pori, Finland. The site serves as a gathering place where visitors can slow down to observe happenings of the growing season through the processes of the soil. While modelled by the artist from the starting point of a traditional barn, the measurements of the minimalist, dark-
Inside the structure the audience meets a large-
The underlying core concept of the work is the impact of plants in the biological regeneration of compacted soil. Its aesthetics are inspired by the root systems of alfalfa, tall fescue and white clover as well as other plants. The project is founded on a sustained dialogue that the artist has conducted with farmers as well as researchers committed to identifying and promoting carbon farming practices, soil improvement and regenerative food production methods. The data used in the work comes from sensor measurements made at the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s research farm in Qvidja where Teemu Lehmusruusu has worked since 2018.
Teemu Lehmusruusu (b. 1981) is a transdisciplinary artist based in Helsinki and Kemiönsaari. His practice spans across hybrid interfaces between digital technologies, research-
In many of his works, Lehmusruusu reconsiders the concept of landscape from an alternative angle, from below and within the soil, through the agencies residing in it. His work has in recent years encompassed artistic research related to soil ecosystems, undertaken within a network built around a project entitled Trophic Verses. The works were created in interaction with regenerative agriculture practitioners and farmers as well as climate and soil scientists. The most recent works include an open-
Teemu Lehmusruusu, Field Observatory, 2023. Site-
Exhibition 16 June -
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