Hi Marc,

I've acquired sterilized soil for use in archival environments. Its good 
stuff. You can either buy it, or make it. I'd recommend buying it since 
you need a fair amount. If you decide to make it, you simply screen your 
soil and get any twigs, etc. out of it. Then spread it in roasting pans 
or baking sheets up to about 3" deep, cover with foil (helps cut down on 
the smell) and bake it in your oven at 200° F for about an hour (you can 
check it with a meat thermometer and if it is over 180° F No problem - 
everything is dead). Be forewarned - it still smells bad. Also, don't 
overheat the stuff because high heat can release toxins in the soil. 
Kind of a pain in the behind if you need 200 cubic feet of the stuff.

Sterilized soil is available from commercial nursery suppliers in larger 
quantities. Home improvement centers and garden centers generally sell 
it in bags up to 10lbs. so that would not be cost effective for you. 
Basically sterile soil has been heated to about 2,000° F and then, 
depending on the type (potting soil, etc.) other additives may be added 
back into it. You have to be careful to check how the soil was produced 
- if it says it was "solarized" or sterile by "solarization" it has not 
been heated sufficiently (only by the sun to about 115 degrees F) to 
kill micro organisms and some bugs.

I'd be inclined to ask why so much dirt in the first place and, does it 
really need to be dirt? Perhaps the artist would be OK with a dirt 
substitute such as crushed walnut shells. I've used the walnut shell in 
the past with some success. You can buy it in large amounts fairly 
cheap. It's sold buy industrial or sandblasting supply companies for use 
in media-blasters. Looks like dirt, doesn't smell bad, cleans up fairly 
easily, comes nice and dry as well.

Another good dirt substitute is playground media made from recycled 
tires. Sometimes called "rubber mulch" it comes in a variety of colors 
and blends that simulate soil. Its very safe, non-toxic, pretty clean 
and dry, and easy to get. Near the City you might try: ACM Playgrounds, 
Inc. Tel: 914-739-6858

Good luck!

Larry Fisher
Museum Planner, Designer, Imagineer
p: (401) 253-5335
e: [log in to unmask]
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lfisher160


On 1/21/2011 2:04 PM, Bernier, Marc wrote:
>
> Hello Museum Colleagues,
>
> I am sure some of you may have encountered that problem and will have 
> a suggestion for us as how to proceed...
>
> We will need to exhibit a sculpture that requires the addition of a 
> fair amount of soil (about 200 cubic feet) surrounding it. The dirt 
> will need to be scattered on the floor of the gallery around the 
> sculpture.
>
> Of course we would not like to bring any kind of parasites or living 
> organisms in our galleries.
>
> Can we get treated soil guaranteed that it will be free of living 
> pests, bugs and pollen?
>
> Thank you
>
> Marc Bernier
>
> /Exhibitions Manager/
>
> The Studio Museum in Harlem
>
> 144 West 125th Street
>
> New York, NY 10027
>
> 212-864 4500 ext.203
>
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
> *Fall/Winter 2010-11 Exhibitions and Projects on view from November 
> 11, 2010: *
>
> */Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: /*/Any Number of Preoccupations**/
>
> */Mark Bradford: /*/Alphabet**/
>
> */VideoStudio: /*/Changing Same**/
>
> */The Production of Space/*
>
> */Dawoud Bey's Harlem, USA/***
>
> */Untitled (Level) /**/ *2010 Wein Prize winner Leslie Hewitt in 
> collaboration with Bradford Young
>
> */Collected. Black & White/*
>
> */Harlem Postcards: /*Kwaku Alston, Deana Lawson, Petra Richterova and 
> Lewis Watts
>
> */StudioSound/**: *Matana Roberts**
>
> Get the latest:
>
> studiomuseum.org/studio-blog
>
> facebook.com/studiomuseum
>
> twitter.com/studiomuseum
>
> ========================================================= Important 
> Subscriber Information:
>
> The Museum-L FAQ file is located at 
> http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed 
> information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail 
> message to [log in to unmask] 
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> . The body of the message should 
> read "help" (without the quotes).
>
> If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message 
> to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
> . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the 
> quotes).
>

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).