BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:adamgibbons/ics METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VEVENT UID:22397@offbeat.amsterdam SUMMARY:What appears foul becomes fertile DTSTAMP:20260514T205131Z DTSTART:20260618T110000Z DTEND:20260831T190000Z DESCRIPTION:Artist Michael Pinsky [https://www.michaelpinsky.com/] presents Your Shit Smells\nLike Roses. The sculpture stages a deliberate contradic tion: human waste\, so\noften treated as abject\, is in fact a valuable an d regenerative resource. It\ncritiques contemporary sewage systems in whic h all domestic effluents are\nindiscriminately combined\, producing a chem ically complex and often toxic\nslurry. By contrast\, the work proposes th e separation of “black water” (toilet\nwaste) from “grey water” (from sink s\, washing machines\, and dishwashers)\,\nallowing each stream to be proc essed according to its intrinsic qualities.\n\nThe installation presents t hree distinct water systems\, black\, grey\, and clear\,\nchannelled throu gh the sculptural structure to irrigate rose plants embedded\nwithin toile t forms. The roses become living indicators of each condition: black\nwate r produces vigorous and abundant growth\, grey water inhibits life\, and c lear\nwater sustains a modest vitality. A further inversion unfolds throug h scent.\nGrey water\, perfumed by cleaning products\, emits an immediatel y appealing\nfragrance\, while black water initially repels. Yet over time \, it is the rose\nnourished by human waste that develops the most complex and desirable natural\nscent. What appears foul becomes fertile\; what ap pears clean reveals itself as\ntoxic. Through this sensory and material re versal\, Your Shit Smells Like Roses\nreframes waste as a question of cont ext rather than inherent value. It suggests\nthat what we discard is not w ithout worth\, but simply misplaced. Our waste is\nsimply the right thing in the wrong place.\n\n\nPROGRAMME\n\nOpening date: 18 June\n\nAbout the v enue: The installation is presented inside the ‘Water Bar’\, a glass\nbuil ding situated next to WETSUS.\n\n\nABOUT S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION\n\nS+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION is a two-year initiative that brings together artists\,\nscien tists\, policymakers\, and communities to address urgent water challenges\ nthrough interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic experimentation. Roo ted in\nthe EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters\, the project spans fo ur major\nEuropean basins\, Atlantic-Arctic\, Baltic-North Sea\, Mediterra nean\, and\nDanube-Black Sea\, and supports 25 artist residencies alongsid e the development\nof Water Innovation Labs in Portugal\, the Netherlands\ , Austria\, and Italy. These\nlabs act as hubs for co-developing innovativ e\, art-driven responses to regional\nwater issues. Through hands-on engag ement\, speculative design\, and grounded\nartistic practice\, S+T+ARTS AQ UA MOTION rethinks how water is valued and\nmanaged\, fostering more inclu sive\, sustainable\, and resilient futures.\n\nWithin this framework\, the challenge Contamination Paradox: Reframing\ncontamination as knowledge\, limit and resource invites artists to engage with\nsource-separating sanit ation technologies and to reconsider contamination not\nonly as a threat\, but as a resource\, a signal\, and a site of inquiry. Residues\,\nbacteri a\, chemicals\, and micropollutants are approached not simply as waste\, b ut\nas evidence\, as matter for investigation\, and as potential habitats for other\nforms of life. Through this lens\, contamination becomes a way to understand\nsystemic imbalance and a medium for response\, speculation\ , and co-creation.\n\nDeveloped in collaboration with Wetsus [https://www. wetsus.nl/] the European\nCentre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Techn ology\, the Municipality of\nLeeuwarden\, WaterCampus Leeuwarden [https:// www.watercampus.nl/nl/]\, and with\nWaag Futurelab acting as mentor throug hout the artistic process\, the project\nsupports the creation of new conn ections between artistic practice\, scientific\nresearch\, and societal en gagement.\nInterested? More information about S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION.\n[http s://starts.eu/what-we-do/residences/startsaquamotion/]\n\n\nACCESSIBILITY\ n\nThe space is located on top of a very small hill\, so unfortunately it is not\neasily accessible for wheelchair users. Otherwise\, the location i s easy to\nreach\, and there is space nearby to park bikes and cars. URL:https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/what-appears-foul-becomes-fertile GEO:52.3727735;4.9003436 LOCATION:Waag - Nieuwmarkt 4\, 1012 CR Amsterdam STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:amsterdam-centrum,community,nieuwmarkt/lastage,plants,sculpture X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Artist Michael Pinsky presents Your Shit Smells Like Roses. The sculpture stages a deliberate contradiction: human waste, so often treated as abject, is in fact a valuable and regenerative resour ce. It critiques contemporary sewage systems in which all domestic effluen ts are indiscriminately combined, producing a chemically complex and often toxic slurry. By contrast, the work proposes the separation of “black wat er” (toilet waste) from “grey water” (from sinks, washing machines, and di shwashers), allowing each stream to be processed according to its intrinsi c qualities.

The installation presents three distinct water systems, black, grey, and clear, channelled through the sculptural structure to ir rigate rose plants embedded within toilet forms. The roses become living i ndicators of each condition: black water produces vigorous and abundant gr owth, grey water inhibits life, and clear water sustains a modest vitality . A further inversion unfolds through scent. Grey water, perfumed by clean ing products, emits an immediately appealing fragrance, while black water initially repels. Yet over time, it is the rose nourished by human waste t hat develops the most complex and desirable natural scent. What appears fo ul becomes fertile; what appears clean reveals itself as toxic. Through th is sensory and material reversal, Your Shit Smells Like Roses ref rames waste as a question of context rather than inherent value. It sugges ts that what we discard is not without worth, but simply misplaced. Our wa ste is simply the right thing in the wrong place.

Programme

Opening date: 18 June

About the venue: The installation is presented inside the ‘Water Bar’, a glass buildin g situated next to WETSUS.

About S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION

S+ T+ARTS AQUA MOTION is a two-year initiative that brings together arti sts, scientists, policymakers, and communities to address urgent water cha llenges through interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic experimentati on. Rooted in the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, the pr oject spans four major European basins, Atlantic-Arctic, Baltic-North Sea, Mediterranean, and Danube-Black Sea, and supports 25 artist residencies a longside the development of Water Innovation Labs in Portugal, the Netherl ands, Austria, and Italy. These labs act as hubs for co-developing innovat ive, art-driven responses to regional water issues. Through hands-on engag ement, speculative design, and grounded artistic practice, S+T+ARTS AQ UA MOTION rethinks how water is valued and managed, fostering more in clusive, sustainable, and resilient futures.

Within this framework, the challenge Contamination Paradox: Reframing contamination as knowle dge, limit and resource invites artists to engage with source-separat ing sanitation technologies and to reconsider contamination not only as a threat, but as a resource, a signal, and a site of inquiry. Residues, bact eria, chemicals, and micropollutants are approached not simply as waste, b ut as evidence, as matter for investigation, and as potential habitats for other forms of life. Through this lens, contamination becomes a way to un derstand systemic imbalance and a medium for response, speculation, and co -creation.

Developed in collaboration with Wetsus the European Centre of Excellence for S ustainable Water Technology, the Municipality of Leeuwarden, WaterCampus Leeuwarden, an d with Waag Futurelab acting as mentor throughout the artistic process, th e project supports the creation of new connections between artistic practi ce, scientific research, and societal engagement.
Interested? More information about S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION.

Accessibility

The space is located on top of a very small hill, so unfortunately it is not easily accessible for wheelchair users. Otherwise, the location is easy to reach, and there is space nearby to park bikes and cars.

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