From 15th to 20th, 2023, Tokyo University of the Arts hosted the international art education and research network program, “Shared Campus”.
Faculty members and students from the UK, Australia, and India visited Japan to take part in the Critical Ecology program. During their stay, they engaged in lectures, workshops, and excursions centred around the theme of ‘soil’.
The program concluded on the 20th, with a forum led by the participating students.

Focus of 2023 March Program　Soil/Land　－　Why Soil?　Why Land?
Soil
Soil is the hidden half of the world. Humans often focus on what is above the ground, paying little attention to what lies beneath. By directing our gaze below the surface, we can uncover numerous groundbreaking discoveries. There are mutual aid systems and similarities to our own bodies, such as the resemblance between the intestines and the tangled roots of plants.

Land
As human beings, we always situate ourselves through our bodies, sensory systems, perceptions, and various forms of sensory information. Land is where we find our place and sense of belonging. However, land is often exploited, disregarded, and abandoned in various ways, prompting questions about ownership and enclosure.

Oct 7, 2023