A book that brings together the extraordinary photographic exploration of Edward Burtynsky in the ‘residual landscapes’, changed by our way of life. Not merely images but thought-provoking tools.
Humus starts its journey by looking at the ground, on which not only our feet but also our homes, cities, factories and roads stand; and where orchards, wheat fields and woods spread their roots. Our whole existence is based on that which may seem just a surface, but which in fact is much more. Because it has a thickness, a depth, a history and a very intense life.
Smartphones, TVs, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines: all today’s devices and machines require rare earths. Seventeen elements that are increasingly indispensable for today’s technological and digital society, under discussion in international forums. It pays to get to know them better.
Not just a vocation, but a commitment to LAND, the international landscaping consultancy firm that makes nature a driver of change.
In an interview the designer tells us about the path that, through a residence in Finland, led him to understand in depth the many aspects of ceramics, starting from the wild clay of a Finnish lake.
For the German designer, the earth is not merely a material used to build new objects but something fragile and precious, to be taken care of through the projects and research she talked about.
The symbolic date representing the launch of the great economic and cultural “Made in Italy” phenomenon is certainly 1925, the year of the Paris Expo celebrating the height of the Art Deco movement. This is what happened.
Even before plants, human survival relies on soil, as this is where all life comes from. The urban planning expert who chose to stand “on the side of soil”, as his last book is also entitled, explains why we should protect this incredible (and misunderstood) ecosystem.
Rare earths that are unique, coming from magical places and charged with memory. We talked of this and other things with the artist, who uses ceramics and terracotta to create magical presences, evoking stories to be told.
