mijnKOOL

an artistic participatory research project

mijnKOOL is an artistic participatory research project in which photographer Kristof Vrancken and design studio SOCIAL MATTER actively and naturally examine the Genk soil quality and composition using red cabbage. For this, they invite 12 Genk residents to plant a red cabbage in their garden and bring them together to let them experience the unprecedented properties and forces containing plants. 

Plants can play an important role in detecting soil structures and properties. Red cabbage works well as a bio-indicator. In neutral ground red cabbage gets a purple color in acid soil it becomes red and in an alkaline environment it turns out more green or yellow. During several meetings everyone comes together to discuss the growth of their coals and to exchange tips. 

In October the participants will create a photographic emulsion of their crop, which will result in their portrait. Depending on the acidity and composition of the soil in which the cabbage has grown will change the colour of the print. The use of red cabbage as a measuring instrument for soil composition gives an understanding of the impact that soil may have on the harvest.

mijnKOOL is a project Kristof Vrancken and Giacomo Piovan in cooperation with the city of Genk, the Emile Van Doren Museum and C-Mine

Scenography: Kristof Vrancken - Isabelle Reynders

mijnKOOL documentary: Diren Agbaba

Illustrations: Jenny Stieglitz

more info: www.mijnkool.be