Space Permaculture is a network of gardens for growing, interpreting and preserving the seeds of edible plants that have been cultivated or eaten in outer space. The gardens are sites for assembling and distributing off-planet agricultural biodiversity and directing the visitors’ gaze upwards—connecting the plants in the garden to multi-species activities in the sky—asking questions about environmental stewardship in outer space and here on Earth.

There are many local and national seed saving programs that preserve the historical agricultural biodiversity of a place, but who will assemble, maintain and propagate heritage varieties that have been cultivated in or for outer space?

During this year-long residency the artist collective GENOMIC GASTRONOMY worked with gardeners in Ireland and around the world to grow, taste, debate and preserve the agricultural biodiversity of outer space. Throughout the growing season (March-August 2023) the artists engaged participating seed savers and visitors to the Butler Gallery with conversations and events, distributing seeds, harvesting and saving seeds. Events during the year included:

• A site visit and prototyping event with NCAD Field and community groups in Dublin 8.
• Satellite Seed Savers: Seed Exchange event distributing space seeds to growers in Kilkenny city and county.
• A special drop -in harvest event at Butler Gallery for the wider grower's network and public.

#SpacePermaculture

#SatelliteSeedSavers

About the Artist

GENOMIC GASTRONOMY is is an artist-led think tank launched in 2010 by Cathrine Kramer (NO) and Zack Denfeld (US) that examines the biotechnologies and biodiversity of human food systems. Their mission is to map food controversies, prototype alternative culinary futures and imagine a more just, biodiverse & beautiful food system.

The Center presents its research on the organisms and environments manipulated by human food cultures in the form of public lectures, research publications, meals and exhibitions. Since 2013 they have been joined by the artist Emma Conley (US) and have collaborated with scientists, chefs, hackers and farmers in Europe, Asia, and North America. Working between and beyond the life sciences and gastronomy the Center has been published in Science, Nature and Gastronomica and exhibited at the World Health Organization, Kew Gardens, V&A Museum, Science Gallery, MU, V2_ and others. They are currently based in Amsterdam and Porto.

www.genomicgastronomy.com

Instagram: genomicgastronomy