SWIET — SWIT
SWIET – SWIT is the Frisian edition of the long term research project SWEET – SWEAT and brought de Onkruidenier to landscapes in Friesland around Leeuwarden and Beetsterzwaag. For this floating work de Onkruidenier specifically zoomed in on the polder of Skrins, a meadow bird area located in a reclaimed channel of the medieval Middelzee estuary. The special occasion for this work was Arcadia, a 100 day triennial during which you could visit artworks throughout the entire Friesland area, all of which focus on the local landscape. De Onkruidenier had the pleasure of creating an installation for the Fries museum’s entrance.
SWIET – SWIT is a discussion piece where we explore how we can adapt to the changing landscape and climate. What are we going to eat? Can we adapt ourselves just like plants? The foil we installed on the museum’s windows filters specific colors on the light spectrum that support plants to grow. The work conjures up all kinds of speculative ways of measuring for us to question the controlling human behavior directed at the landscape here in the Netherlands.
Over a 100 day period, white pineapple strawberries, black rice, salt-loving potatoes, taro plants and all kinds of duckweed grew in our installation while we took care of this new ecosystem together with the Fries Museum’s staff. Part of the installation was a public programme consisting of three events where we internalized these new landscape imaginations by activating our taste buds, wandered around Beetsterzwaag and looked into the aquatic history of Leeuwarden.
SWIET – SWIT is a collaboration between Fries Museum, Kunsthuis SYB and de Onkruidenier.
The project was made possible by Arcadia and Mondriaan Fonds.
With special thanks to Josine Sibum Siderius, Laura Kneebone, Rebekka Bank