Schemerlicht festival Nijmegen
Audiovisual art route in the Goffertpark in Nijmegen. Scientists, artists and composers work together on art installations and musical compositions within the theme: Earth layers.
In the earth the same biotopes as in our intestines are concealed, which may explain the fascination with earth eating among a significant group of people. masharu takes us on an intriguing journey of discovery: a whopping 200 diverse types of edible earth are on display here, ready to be explored. If you stand precisely in the midst of all these jars, you can momentary immerse yourself in their mindset, listening to the nuances in flavor and texture, ranging from chalk to fragrantly spiced.
With this installation, masharu explores how people can reconnect with the earth through geophagy, or the voluntary consumption of soil. This age-old medicinal and spiritual tradition exists in various cultures but has largely fallen into disuse in the West and is often considered a psychological disorder. Despite this stigmatizing perception there are still people who consume earth. For the Museum of Edible Earth, masharu gathers soil samples from around the world. “Crunch of Earth” invites you to temporarily set aside your beliefs about food and cultural traditions. In this installation, you can hear sounds of people chewing on various types of earth samples, and if you wish, you can even taste a few yourself.
The installation also references ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), specific visuals and sounds can evoke positive emotions and a tingling sensation on the skin. Numerous videos of people chewing on chalk and clay can be found on social media.
