What is cultivated biodiversity and how can we stop losing more of it? How can we secure the fundamental rights to seeds in Europe?

SEED CARRIERS is an audio documentary series about seeds.

Bridging the worlds of art, activism, and science, this audio series explores the possibilities of storytelling about seeds from a European perspective. We delve into the essential practices of sharing, the intricate relationships between humans and plants, and the intertwined history of plant domestication. SEED CARRIERS addresses the accelerating decline of seed and agricultural diversity, which constitutes the foundation of all life. We aim to create a vibrant body of knowledge reflecting endeavors to protect, provision, and develop seed and crop diversity.

SEED CARRIERS is an initiative by the Swiss artist-run association Institut Plapamco and the European coordination «Let’s Liberate Seed Diversity!». SEED CARRIERS has been supported by Pro Helvetia, Migros Kulturprozent, Mobiliar Jubiläumsstiftung, and Corymbo Foundation.

Ever wondered what a seed truly is? These tiny living entities contain the blueprint of life, giving us the food, fibers, fuel, and materials we rely on. Seeds can enter dormancy, a natural pause that allows them to survive tough conditions. This ability is key to gene banks, like the one at Agroscope in Switzerland, where seeds are preserved to protect our agricultural diversity. But while gene banks safeguard countless seeds, the diversity we see in our fields and on our plates has drastically shrunk. Today, just a handful of crops dominate, controlled by a few big corporations. So, where did all that diversity go? And why don't we think about the story behind seeds when – let’s say – we throw an apple core?

Group Exhibition «It was all fields once» curated by Juan Barcia Mas, Sophia Garner & Ina Valkanova on behalf of the NEWROPE Chair of Architecture and Urban Transformation, ETH Zurich
feat. SEED CARRIERS at Track Bruxelles
BE 2025

Read about the project SEED CARRIERS in «Null41 - Kulturmagazin» (text in german)