Soils and Spirit is a participatory performance and installation in ancient, endangered and disappeared forests in the northeast.

It will premiere in 2026 in Lenapehoking/NYC and tour to chosen locations through 2030.

Soils and Spirit is conceived by performing artist, puppeteer and eco-artist Marina ‘heron’ Tsaplina to connect people from diverse lineages to the histories and spirits of place.

You can read an in-depth interview about the emerging project between Petra Kuppers and Marina in Orion Magazine:
To Remember amid Dismemberment.

Thank you to all funders, partners and people who have contributed to and supported Soils and Spirit so far:

Funders:
Bass Connections
Davis Center for Performing Arts
Duke Arts
Duke Theater Studies
Eddy Foundation
Georgetown Disability Studies
Georgetown Theater Studies
NYSCA
Puffin Foundation

Partners:
African American Dance Ensemble
Broadway Stages
Culture Push
Duke Campus Farm
Duke Forest
Duke Fungi Lab
EcoArtSpace
Friends of Buttonhook Forest
Future Forests Reimagined
NOoSPHERE Arts
Object Movement Festival
Orion Magazine
Plenty Canada
Split Rock Arts
Urban Soils Institute
Wildlands Network

People / Collaborators:
Kate Alexandrite
Torry Bend
Julia Watts Belser
Tracey Bilski
Johanna Rose Burwell
Kevin Caves
Taari Coleman
Mauri Connors
Genna Beth Davidson
Maya Edelman
Jessica Flemming
Laura Grant
Chris Green
Sara Hart
Molly Haviland
Amy Kenny
Nance Klehm
Petra Kuppers
Christine Laporte
Sarah Lafferty
Larry McDermott
Jules Odendahl-James
Jessica Orzulak
Miguel Peschiera
Julia Piper
Londs Reuter
Nohham Cachat-Schilling
Blake Tedder
Mobi Warren
Patricia Watts
Julianne Warren
Angela Wei
moira williams
Johann Montozzi-Wood
Katie Yale
Robert Zimmerman

This is a growing list.
Thank you for your support in fulfilling the vision of Soils and Spirit.