This community created cape is for different people to assume the character of the Keeper of the Soils at celebratory occasions.
Initiated by artist Natalie Taylor along with North Light Arts, The Keeper commemorates Scotland’s rich agricultural and food growing heritage. Gifted soil samples from growing areas across Scotland will be cossetted inside the cape’s many internal pockets. The pockets are being made with the people of Dunbar during workshop sessions. The imagery on the back of the cape describes the complex and fascinating relationship between soil ecology, our crops grown in soil, and the distribution system which we have created to deliver the food to us. Tiny creatures within this soil food web will eventually be stitched to complete this diagram during further workshops. Our hope is the cape will be worn during COP26 by delegates to raise awareness of the global importance of soil in the food system as well as soils’ carbon sequestration capabilities.
See updates about the creation of the cape on the Soil Fellowship blog
The Keeper’s cape will be first worn on the eve of the Pilgrimage for COP26. at an Opening event for Pilgrimage for COP26.. organised by NLA, Sustaining Dunbar and The John Muir Birthplace.
There will be a special ceremony handing over selected soils at The Battery, Dunbar Harbour, starting at 4.30 pm on Sunday 17th October 2021. The Keeper will then accompany the Pilgrims along the John Muir Way to Glasgow for the COP26 climate conference starting on the 31st October 2021.
We welcome anyone to donate small sample of their precious soil to add to the cape’s collection. Find out more here.
For more information about any aspects of this project please contact pm.northlightarts@gmail.com