Junxi Xi

About

In recent years, the climate of the Alentejo region has changed dramatically as a result of global climate change, with frequent extreme weather events and unstable ecosystems. Soil has become an important marker of climate change and is affected by changes in the light environment of the region. ‘Soil spectrum’ reveals how the light environment and soil interact in the region from a soil perspective, and how this relates to changes in the rhythms of human and non-human populations.

‘Soil spectrum’ focuses on the Alentejo region in southern Portugal, one of the sunniest regions in Portugal and Europe, and one of the most affected by changes in the light environment. Through my fieldwork in the Alentejo, I have learnt that the number of sunny days and dry periods in these areas is increasing and lengthening, and that with the changes in the light environment, the soil conditions in the region are starting to experience higher surface temperatures, lower humidity, structural changes and salinisation, which are also leading to changes in the activities of the human communities. In response to these phenomena, the project explores the relationship between the soil and the light environment through the lens of photography, using different photographic techniques to create and perceive the light environment of the Alentejo region, experimenting with different ways of using the soil as an important element in the production of the image, and generating photographic images through the reaction between the soil’s own chemical compounds and sunlight, and attempting to reveal the profound changes that take place in the soil at times of changing light environments and climatic crises through these photographic practices. The photographic practice attempts to reveal the profound changes that occur in soil at times of changing light conditions and climate crisis.

The different components of the soil change directly and indirectly under the influence of different light environments, and this process cannot be observed directly by our eyes, but photography is essentially the art and science of capturing light, and reflecting the relationship between soil and light through photography can make people’s minds think figuratively. The images produced by ‘Soil spectrum’ are not photography in the traditional sense of the word, but they record the unique interaction between soil and light. I hope to experience the inorganic and organic world of soil in light environments, to visualise the interactions between different light environments and soil chemistry, and to bring new ideas to people’s minds from a soil perspective. Through these endeavours, I aim to contribute to the global debate on climate change and environmental sustainability by providing new insights and practical solutions from the unique perspective of soil-light interactions.