Jasmin Robertson

Spiral Field: Bere Barley, Flax and Black Oats

Spiral field is an ongoing growing project based on the west side of Stow building. Its grown out of a desire to create something that brings my passion for agroecology and creativity together. I am a fourth-year Sculpture and environmental student that is also studying a part time horticulture course at SRUC in Queens park- hence, a lot of my practice is informed by horticultural and ecological research. My practice is often informed and shaped by themes around ecology, land work and historical craft/practices, land reform and justice. Originally from a rural part of the NE Highlands, my practice is formed through connection to place and interest in vernacular materiality that surrounds me.

Spiral field became an act of resistance through growing three Scottish heritage seeds that are connected to Scotland’s agricultural history. Each one telling a story of the land and people who worked it. Seeds hold the memory of place through epigenetics- meaning they can switch genes to adapt to different conditions, adverse weathers or changing climate- which is what makes them resilient. Part of this project is aiming to explore how 3 seeds, all from very northern areas of Scotland would respond to such an urban area. Traditionally in agriculture, planting follows straight lines, in large fields, whereas here we worked collaboratively to draw out, dig, sow and maintain the piece- the spiral emerges from a natural form amongst the city gridlines (which can be viewed from Birdseye view from the space on 3rd floor).
Practically I also had to undergo many environmental assessments to decide on the field as the right site, soil pH tests, contaminants test and a survey of wild growth that’s already situated there. This brought up a lot of questions around the effects of industrial waste and how we can care/regenerate these green spaces.

For degree show I will be out on the field tending to the spiral most days, working with field as a live site- watering, planting, fertilising (all organically) often- inviting folk to join/some hang out and learn some of the techniques throughout the whole show. As well as this outdoor live site I will have a room inside Stow showing documentation from the collaborative creation of Spiral Field. All of which are incorporated in Glasshouse II, an installation created with Vandyke photographs on recycled windows, recycled corrugated iron, earth stained fabric and a film projection.