Subterra Roots
Data Sheet
Credits
DETALLES DEL PROYECTO
Subterra: Roots is an immersive installation that explores the hidden architectures of forest ecosystems and the vital, unseen forces that sustain life underground. Presented within a vaulted chamber, the work centers on twelve custom-built rhizotrons—scientific observation devices used to study root systems. Arranged in two rows, the rhizotrons contain living plants and shrubs native to the forests of Vallisaari and surrounding Finnish landscapes, forming a living micro-forest within the exhibition space.
At the far end of the chamber, a circular video—evocative of a porthole—presents a continuous time-lapse of roots, fungal networks, and subterranean life in motion. The camera gradually descends, drawing the viewer deeper into the soil layer by layer. A spatialized, four-channel soundscape composed of low-frequency subsonic vibrations fills the space with a sense of subterranean resonance, evoking the inaudible hum of underground ecosystems.
Roots engages with scientific tools and expanded acoustic perception to reveal the forest as a living network—interconnected, intelligent, and always in flux. Through sound, image, and plant life, the installation offers a sensorial excavation of the soil’s silent choreography.
Commisioned by Helsinki Biennial by Helsinki Biennial
Curated by Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen
