Rock salt is Germany’s most visible by-product of mining. It is particularly eye-catching in the central region of Germany (Thüringen and Hessen), where it appears in the form of imposing white mountains in the landscape. These so-called Rückstandshalden (residue deposits) are created as a by-product of the extraction of potassium salt, which in turn is crucial for the production of fertilisers. Once the rock salt has been moved via conveyor belts to one of the dumps, the official movement of the material ends for the industry.
During an artist residency at the Junge Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, Lukas Klein explored the movement of materials through an experimental engagement with rock salt and its erosion by water, a process with significant consequences for the surrounding ecosystem of the salt deposits. This investigation unfolded through a field trip to collect samples, followed by controlled dissolution experiments, video documentation, and evaporative castings.
       