Soil residency
Norwegian BioArt Arena, Vitenparken is delighted to announce that Cecilia Jonsson will be joining us as our artist-in-residence this September-November as part of the multidisciplinary project Anthropogenic Soils – Recuperating Human-Soil Relationships on a Troubled Planet (SOILS), in collaboration with The University of Oslo.
For her residency, Jonsson will be collaborating with local scientists and researchers on campus and in the Anthropogenic Soils project, developing her artistic research project «The Toxins Color System» that explores the environmental consequences of historical mining at the Litlabø sulphur pyrite mines in southwestern Norway. By studying environmental aspects related to iron sulfide minerals, which can have long-term impacts on the local environment, the project aims to closely examine the iron-rich runoff in the area to produce pigment for an ephemeral, ochre-colored glass production as a potential remediation process.
The research project builds upon a larger series of previous works that highlight iron´s integral role in matter, fluids, life, and meaning. By documenting and collecting material samples from different parts of the mining area, Jonsson wants to explore the relationship between materiality and place and see how, and to what extent, the pigments may potentially change over time. Jonsson draws inspiration from bioremediation, classical pigment production, and scientific reports on hunter-gatherer techniques, where biogenic iron oxides are believed to have been used to create a more durable, vibrant red pigment for rock carvings.
The work produced during Jonsson’s residency at NOBA will be presented in the SOILS group exhibition at Vitenparken Autumn 2026.
About the artist
Cecilia Jonsson (b.1980, Sweden) combines artistic observations of phenomena and the search of poetry in the factual, in order to understand the realm of nature and in what ways humans relate to the ecosystem we are part of. She holds an MA in Fine Arts from the Bergen Academy of Art and Design and the Nordic Sound Art program and has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in Europe, Asia and Australia. Her artistic work has been awarded international awards and mentions such as the COAL Art and Environmental Prize (nominee 2018), Prix Ars Electronica, Hybrid Art (honorary mention 2017), Bio Art & Design Awards (2016) and VIDA 16.0 Art & Artificial Life International Awards (2nd prize 2014). Her work has been part of Berlin Art week (2018) and commissioned for the 5th Ural Industrial Biennial of Contemporary Art, The Dark Ecology project and Singuhr e.V. Jonsson currently lives between Badhoevedorp in The Netherlands and Bergen in Norway.
Anthopogenic Soils is funded by The Research Council of Norway.
