Salt of the Earth Venice Salt of The Earth is a performance installation and artistic reflection on what it means to actively bear witness to our climate emergency. Through a radical reimagining of the tale of Lot’s Wife, Salt of The Earth explores one powerful act of resistance: a woman’s refusal to look away from the destruction of her world. Set amongst salt marshes, at its core, Salt of The Earth is a love letter to the Salt Marshes of the world.

Spanning theatre, film and music Salt of The Earth is created by artist and director Sophie Hunter leading an internationally acclaimed creative team. The production premiered in Venice in September 2024 and includes a monologue written by Megan Hunter and performed by Olwen Fouéré, movement by choreographer Imogen Knight, costumes by Simone Rocha and Samuel Wyer and a choral piece composed by Isobel Waller-Bridge.
Images by Hollie Fernando“Determined to bear witness to the marshes she loves,” says Hunter, “she chooses to look, to stay, to pay attention, rather than to go, forget and move on. That’s the heart of the piece — the potential sacrifice in that act.” — Patrick Barkham, The Guardian

“A liminal blend of salt and fresh water on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, the Venetian lagoon exudes an uncanny, ancient stillness. Even today, if you take a boat out at dawn, its salt marshes can feel prehistoric. Yet this morning women are moving gracefully through the eerie wetlands that are one of our most precious environmental resources. Entwined with their oasis, one group... pause to look behind them. Resembling architectural columns, their stance suggests both longing and determination. It is as if they are imprinting the scene onto their mind’s eye for transmission to future generations... the film just described is only one element of Salt of the Earth, which also encompasses an installation, a choral piece and a performance..” — Rachel Spence, The FT