Time to Eat Earth Again! From Edible Earth to Medicinal Minerals: Rethinking Our Relationship with Soil
This workshop explores several key questions: What lies behind the tradition of eating earth? Where does edible soil come from? What are its potential benefits and risks? And more broadly, how do humans interact with our environment and with non-human life?
Everyone is welcome to attend this in-person workshop. Registration is required as seating is limited.
The Workshop
Time to eat earth again! - But this time, it’s not out of financial hardship at the end of the month—it’s to explore the wisdom that has evolved over millennia. Humans and animals have eaten earth for thousands of years, for various reasons such as cultural customs, nutritional supplementation, healing, or psychological needs. In fact, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, certain minerals are considered medicinal materials, many of which originate from the soil. After specific processing, these earth-derived substances are used to treat a wide range of diseases.
This workshop explores several key questions:
- What lies behind the tradition of eating earth?
- Where does edible soil come from?
- What are its potential benefits and risks?
- And more broadly, how do humans interact with our environment and with non-human life?
This workshop invites artist Dr masharu, founder of the Museum of Edible Earth in Amsterdam, and Prof. Winder W.T. Chang, Chair of Taiwan Studies at Leiden University, to engage in a cross-disciplinary conversation. Together, they will discuss the significance of soil and Chinese medicine in human life. Participants will also have the opportunity to taste selected earth samples and Chinese medicinal minerals, inviting reflection on our deep and complex relationship with the Earth.
The Workshop Contributors
Dr masharu is an earth eater and an earth lover, a founder of the Museum of Edible Earth. masharu's projects combine scientific research with a personal approach and cultural practices. In 2011 they obtained a PhD in Mathematics and graduated with honours from the Photo Academy Amsterdam. In 2013-2014 they participated in the art-in-residency programme at Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunst in Amsterdam. In 2018 masharu was an artist fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIAS-KNAW). masharu's artistic as well as scientific work has been exhibited, screened and published in more than 30 countries, in such venues and events as Word Soil Museum in Wageningen, Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Modern Art Museum in Yerevan, African Artists’ Foundation in Lagos, Spanish Cultural Centre in Guatemala City, World Design Event in Eindhoven, ReadyTex Gallery in Paramaribo, 4th Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale in Jakarta, European Ceramic Workcentre in Oisterwijk, Sustainica in Dusseldorf and Museo Maritimo in Bilbao. masharu received several awards, such as Award of Distinction at Prix Ars Electronica (Austria) and YouFab Global Creative Awards (Japan). The work of masharu is supported by the Mondriaan Fund.
Prof. Winder Wen-Te Chang (張文德) is the Chair of Taiwan Studies at Leiden University and IIAS from 1 September 2025 until 31 January 2026.
His home institute is China Medical University, Taiwan. He is a Chair/Professor in the Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, and the Deputy Curator of Lifu Museum of Chinese Medicine.
Registration (required)
This in-person workshop is free-of-charge, with limited spots available. Secure your spot beforehand by using the registration form on this page.