Entangled is a painted installation consisting of multiple large-scale semi- and non-transparent fabric panels with paintings of minirhizotrones, foremostly created with self-made oil colours from soil- and plant-pigments. The artwork reveals the hidden world within the ground beneath our feet, which our human lives are based on in many different ways.

The title refers to the profound connection between soil, plants, microorganisms and our human lives. It reflects the essential role of soil as the foundation of life, providing nutrients and supporting ecosystems. In contrast, it also considers the theme of drought, referring to climate change and its impact on plant and soil health which effects human wellbeing, too. The painted fabric panels create an accessible walk-in environment for visitors in the exhibitions, opening a deeper awareness about the importance of healthy soil and our environmental responsibilities.

Entangled is inspired by minirhizotrones - scientific instruments consisting of a transparent tube installed in the soil and a specialized camera or scanner that captures images of roots as they grow along the tube’s surface. This method allows to observeroot growth development, lifespan and interactions with the soil, mycelium and microorganisms over time.

The painted installation is part of the ongoing art-science collaboratory project 03 Soil in which interdisciplinary views on soil and the climate crisis are explored. It was launched in summer 2025 with a site-specific artistic field exploration in a subalpine research laboratory, located in Stubai Valley, Tyrol (AT) and the University of Innsbruck’s ecology labs. Artists and scientists engaged in conversations, exchanges and experiments at the intersections between scientific data collection and artistic translation.