In 1982, artist Agnes Denes planted, cultivated, and harvested a two-acre wheatfield in Lower Manhattan. She entitled the installation, Wheatfield: A Confrontation. More than twenty years later, she has replanted her crops, this time in Bozeman, Montana, for Wheatfield: An Inspiration. The Seed is in the Ground.
Where the first Wheatfield raised questions about food security, overpopulation and land use, the second also looks inward, and invites spectators to grapple with the question of identity, especially in the face of rapid development and transformation. Jenny Moore, director of Tinworks Arts, with whom Denes is collaborating, said: "For Agnes, the distinction between Wheatfield: A Confrontation in 1982, and Wheatfield: An Inspiration. The seed is in the ground, which for her is a whole new work, operates on many levels. It's certainly a different context."
Tinworks further said in its press release: "Reimagining Wheatfield in this location proved particularly compelling for the artist because of the significant role wheat has played in the economy of Montana, the increasing loss of farmland in the rapid urban growth of Bozeman, and the opportunity to reclaim another valuable piece of land through an artistic ecological intervention."
Planting the seeds last year, Denes also invited other people to plant wheat on their own fallow land in solidarity. The crop will be harvested in fall, and processed by Tinworks' small mills. If enough wheat is produced, artisanal bakery Wild Crum will create a special bread from the flour, and will then distribute it throughout the community.
Besides inviting other people to plant, Denes has also circulated a "Questionnaire," asking respondents about pressing issues such as artificial intelligence and global warming. Selected answers will be recorded and played as part of sound work at Tinworks' 2024 season. They will also be uploaded to the cloud "as a perpetual artwork for future generations."
What should attendees consider before viewing Wheatfield: An Inspiration. The seed is in the ground?
Denes says: "The power of art to take us to places we can't get to on our own."
