A Potato Perspective on Amateur Breeding
Prinzessinnengarten, 2011 and onwards
- Starts with the farming season of 2011 and is continued for 1 to 7 years until varieties with desired features appear.
- Follows the method of Recurrent Mass Selection, as described by Raoul A. Robinson in The Amateur Potato Breeders Manual.
- Aims for learning more about breeding and to get new varieties with interesting qualities suited for farming in the microclimate of Berlin/Brandenburg area.
More info
The project is carried out by Åsa Sonjasdotter together with gardener Matze Wilkens with great help from Bennar Markus, Marco Clausen, Robert Shaw, Manuela Schininà and many others at Prinzessinnengarten.
Mobilization / Resistance
A potato perspective
with Joerg Franzbecker
Fondaciòn Cristina Enea, San Sebastian, Spain
July 1 – October 1, 2011
In Mobilization / Resistance, Sonjasdotter and Franzbecker investigates images of the institutionalization of knowledge on plant breeding in post war Europe, as well as how formal and tacit, oral and other informal knowledge structures interrelate and circulate in the post war era of development optimism.
A Potato Perspective on intrusion and defence systems
Kunstfort Asperen, Netherlands, 11 June - 25 September, 2011
Making a Living
presented at Spare Time, an exhibition at Bildmuseet, Umeå, Sweden, June 6 - September 4, 2011
Image: Potato harvesting, woodcarving figure from Karl-Bertil Stenmark’s collection, Skellefteå Museum
Recurrent Selection
presented at Other Possible Worlds, an exhibition at NGBK, Berlin, Germany, 30 April - 29 June 2011
Mobile gardening
During the season of 2010, 15 different potato varieties were planted in portable plastic sacs in Prinzessinnengarten, a mobile garden project in Berlin, Germany. The varieties were presented together with a chronological narrative; The Order Of Potatoes, A Potato-Perspective on A European Matter, spanning from 1587 until present time.
The Order of Potatoes, pdf >>
EATLACMA
A year long investigation in food, art, culture and politics at the Los Angeles County Museum, 2010.
EATLACMA.org >>
The Way Potatoes Go, pdf >>
A Biological Relationship
Presentation at the exhibition Denmark 2010 – Instructions to the Nation of ‘the Happiest People in the World’ at Overgaden, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 25 - August 16, 2010
Overgaden.org >>
The Order Of Potatoes
Participation in the exhibition Deep Green at Den Frie Udstillingsbygning, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2009
Potato Farming in the Andes
The Association for Nature and Sustainable Development (ANDES) in Peru has invited Potato Perspective to co- produce a book a travelling exhibition on Andean indigenous knowledge of potato horticulture.
More information on ANDES >>
Home Breeding
During spring 2007 I am sewing potato seeds in order to attain new genetic material for further breeding and to demonstrate the great variety of tuber colours and shapes. Kerstin Olsson of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is kindly helping me making the seeds sprout.
The project is hosted by Konsthall C, Hökarängen, Stockholm, Sweden. Exhibition 6.10 – 18.11, 2007
The Olympic Allotments Park
During the 2007 season, Potato Perspective is joining in support of the Manor Garden Allotments in Hackney Wick, London, threatened with eviction by plans for The 2012 Olympic Park. Some potatoes of the equally threatened German variety Linda (see www.kartoffelvielfalt.de/rettet_linda/index.php) will be planted in the Demo Plot to highlight the current pressure on living diversity of all kinds.
The Manor Gardening Society Allotments support website >>
On Mobility
De Appel, Amsterdam July 14 – August 28, 2006
During the summer, 15 non-EU registered or other "limbo" potato varieties were grown for the exhibition On Mobility at De Appel, Centre for Contemporary Art in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The harvesting and cooking event took place the 26th of August at De Appel. The event was organized by project coordinator by Claud Biemans, slowfood cook Sandor Sherfeli and artist Åsa Sonjasdotter.
On Mobility
Mucsarnok, Kunsthalle Budapest May 4 - June 15, 2006
15 non-EU registered or other "limbo" potato varieties were presented in the exhibition. The visitors were welcome to pick one sample of each variety for growing. The varieties' juridical status within EU and other related stories were also presented.
Hot Summer of Urban Farming
Nørrebro, Copenhagen, Denmark July, August 2006
During the summer of 2006, non-EU registered potatoes, meristem reproduced from the Nordic Gene Bank, will be grown in a wasteland area at Nørrebro, Copenhagen as part of the project Hot Summer of Urban Farming
For documentation of the process and more info >>
www.publik.dk/hotsummer/projects/potato_perspective/
North of Norway
I have sent 5 different non-EU registered varieties of potato, meristem reproduced from the Nordic Gene Bank, to be grown in the garden of Elsa Norum, Oppsal, Nordland, Norway. The result will be reported.
For more info on things happening in Nordland >> http://sorfinnsetskole.blogspot.com/
Workshop
on Ven in June 2006 with students from The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and visual artist Chintan Upadhyaya.
Talk
Sparwasser, Berlin, Germany, April 2006
More info >> www.sparwasserhq.de/Index/dialog06.htm#asa
Talk
at 'Days of Art and Love', Odense, Denmark, August 2005, together with potato farmer Morten Jensen.
More info >> www.daysofartandlove.dk/days05/dok05/aasasonjasdotter.html