19/10/2026
Soil & Water: Kigali Crossing is an international collaboration between Nyandungu Eco-Park and NIROX Foundation.
Developed by Prof. Johan Thom (University of Pretoria), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Basak Senova (KunstHausWien, University of Applied Arts Vienna, ), and the NIROX Foundation in South Africa, Soil & Water launched at NIROX in 2025, with subsequent iterations in Kyrenia and Nicosia (Cyprus) and Vienna (Austria).
The programme provides a platform to rethink, reimagine, and reconfigure our fragile relationship with two materials at the heart of all existence on this planet: soil and water. Sourced from various origins such as rainfall, rivers, and underground reservoirs, water plays a significant role in shaping soil composition, structure, and fertility. Acting as a conduit, water facilitates the transportation of vital nutrients within the soil. While water contributes to alterations in the landscape through processes like erosion and deposition, soil functions as a storage reservoir, managing water movement and mitigating the adverse effects of droughts and floods.
Soil & Water seeks to highlight the broader landscape and the interconnectedness of multiple ecologies and knowledge systems. The project actively encourages a critical understanding of how various cultural perspectives and material practices may shape our perceptions of nature, land, and place. In turn, these practices are informed by the frameworks and values of various communities, including the art world, the scientific community, urban planners, and the general public.
Soil & Water: Kigali Crossing moves beyond addressing the symptoms of wetland pollution at Nyandungu Eco-Park, meeting the aims of the park to restore the wetland, promote ecotourism, and educate people about the importance of this habitat. Alongside populating the wetland with environmentally conscious artworks, this project is an opportunity to harness the combined power of art and sciences to tackle the root causes of the problem and to raise awareness among neighbouring communities and industrial actors about issues related to soil, water, and pollution.
This iteration runs from 28 August 2026 to 31 March 2027.
