CMCArts Exhibit: The Importance of the Soil

M.A. Dworkin

St. Croix - Why think about the soil we crunch beneath our feet as we move about our daily lives? Why think about what lies beneath the miles and miles of concrete jungle that makes up so much of our world? Why believe that soil is anything more than a comical mudpie to the face, an unpleasant irritant we need to wash off our hands and feet? Who thinks about soil as being one of the most important elements of life on earth? Who thinks that without soil, this beautiful lush green planet of ours may still be nothing more than a spinning comet-like  rock, shooting its way outward throughout the big bang environs of outer space.

But here’s the 411: Soil is the foundation of terrestrial life. It is crucial for producing 95% of our global food supply, filtering water, and regulating the Earth’s climate by storing vast amounts of carbon. Soil also hosts a massive ecosystem of living organisms that recycle nutrients and yield life-saving medicines.

So, why think about soil, ergo clay, in any serious sense, in any contemplative sense? Well, the wise and innovative folks at CMCArts have done more than just think about it. They have mounted a spectacular, ground-breaking (pardon the pun) art show, that not only honors the importance of soil and presents it in an exhibition format, but also attempts to educate on the wonders of soil, to all those who are willing to listen, by some of the most astute people who have devoted a part of their life to paying homage to the wonders and importance of the Earth’s soil. 

Our Soil, Beyond Materiality has recently opened at CMCArts in Frederiksted, St. Croix, and if the exhibition doesn’t set your mind on fire with the thoughts of early life on this planet, of the wonders of archeological exploration, of soil’s utterly important place in the evolution of man on Earth, of clay’s reminder of where we came from and where we are going, well, dig yourself a bunker and hide in it, or better yet bury your head in the sand, because friend, you’re not paying heed to Socrates resounding advice: “The unexamined life is a life not worth living.”

The profound importance of soil goes beyond just a medium to plant things in. Its essential roles can be broken down into several core functions: 

• Food security and Agriculture: It provides physical stability, water storage, and nutrients for plant roots, producing the vast majority of the food we eat. The global agriculture industry relies entirely on the fertility of our soils to sustain growing populations.

•  Water filtration and purification: Soil acts as a natural buffer and sponge. It absorbs heavy rainfall (which reduces flood risks) and filters out pollutants and contaminants, ensuring our groundwater remains clean.

•  Climate change mitigation: Soil is one of the largest terrestrial carbon sinks on the planet, meaning it captures and securely stores atmospheric carbon dioxide. Protecting healthy soils is vital for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Biodiversity and Medicine: A single handful of healthy soil contains more microorganisms than there are people on Earth. These diverse bacteria and fungi are responsible for decomposing organic matter and cycling nutrients. Furthermore, many essential human antibiotics are derived directly from soil microbes.

Our Soil, Beyond Materiality, is an exhibition that brings together the work of five visual artists, their media documents, field materials, and lab-like evidence of soil. This brilliant and innovative team believes that soil is a sacred place that cares for our lives from underneath; that soil fixes our roots geographically, culturally, and politically, sustaining and nurturing our growth as a planet, hopefully, with patience, much in the same way that volcanic rock waited patiently for near-eternity to see the human race born.

You must see this multi-media exhibition, with its wonderful, educational videos and its beautiful pottery and art displays in order to understand what is being transmitted here on the second floor gallery at CMCArts. The walls and sections of the floors have been taken over and emerged in the “thought of soil.” Your mind kind of shivers and shakes when you allow it to open up and conceive what is being transmitted to you. Your thoughts may very well drift out for a moment to the liquid beauty of the Caribbean Sea that lies just beyond, but surely, if you let your thoughts percolate on the exhibition, you will never quite think the same way about the grassy grounds, the dirt, the clay, the soil, that lead up to those beautiful waters that grace our shores.

This fascinating group of artists: Heidi Anne Vera, Luca Gasperi, Vamileth Flores-Reyes, Carola Cintron Moscoso, and Jaime Suarez, who hail from Puerto Rico and St. Croix, have rung the bell of freedom to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States; they have rung the bell of  freedom to think beyond materiality, beyond the obvious, the literal, and way beyond our worn-out rut of everyday thinking habits. They have opened up a crack in the earth, a fissure that we can fall into and happily explore, a wonderfully thoughtful exhibition that pits us against the limitations of our own daily thought process, a volcanic eruption of sorts that will start us thinking: What indeed is the Importance of Soil?

Our Soil Beyond Materiality runs thru November 7, 2026 at CMCArts, 10 Strand Street, Frederiksted, St. Croix