Entangled Light: Soil, Photography and the Garden as Studio 

by Helen McGhie and Antony Hall 

is a collaborative project with Hellen McGhie, developed at the garden at Islington Mill, Salford. I am working as co-investigator, bringing my ongoing experiments with soil-powered and moss-based microbial fuel cells into the project (more information here)

The work asks how a garden might become a more-than-human studio, where soil, microbes, plants, light, energy and people all take part in making an image. My contribution focuses on building small microbial batteries using soil gathered from Islington Mill and Incredible Edible Salford’s community garden, alongside found and low-cost materials.

These soil-powered cells generate tiny amounts of electricity through the activity of microbes. When connected together, they can power small LED lights. Rather than hiding this fragile energy source, the project makes it central: the light used to reveal the work comes from the living material of the garden itself.

After the growing season, Entangled Light offers a way to stay connected with the garden in darkness. Visitors encounter images gradually, using a small LED powered by microbial batteries. The image is never fully revealed at once; instead, it appears slowly through a shared system of soil, light, attention and care.