Agnes Denes: Wheatfield - A Confrontation

Overview

• Project: Wheatfield - A Confrontation
• Location: Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan
• Year: Summer 1982
• Artist: Agnes Denes
• Photography: All photographs by Agnes Denes

Project Details

• Area Planted: 2 acres
• Preparation:
  • Took place in May 1982
  • 200 truckloads of dirt brought to the site
  • 285 furrows dug by hand
  • Rocks and garbage cleared
  • Seeds sown by hand
  • Furrows covered with soil
• Maintenance:
  • Field maintained for 4 months
  • Cleared of wheat smut
  • Weeded and fertilized
  • Sprayed against mildew fungus
  • Irrigation system set up
• Harvest:
  • Date: August 16, 1982
  • Yield: Over 1000 pounds of healthy, golden wheat

Symbolism and Impact

• Symbolism:
  • Represents food, energy, commerce, world trade, and economics
  • Highlights issues like mismanagement, waste, world hunger, and ecological concerns
  • Calls attention to misplaced priorities
• Economic Paradox:
  • Land valued at $4.5 billion
  • Juxtaposition of high-value real estate with farming

Exhibition

• Title: "The International Art Show for the End of World Hunger"
• Organizer: Minnesota Museum of Art
• Duration: 1987-1990
• Tour: 28 cities worldwide
• Outcome:
  • Seeds were distributed globally
  • Planted in various parts of the world

Time Capsule and Questionnaire

• Content:
  • Existential questions on human values, quality of life, and humanity's future
  • Responses primarily from university students worldwide
• Function: Open communication system for future evaluation
• Encapsulation:
  • Microfilm desiccated, placed in steel capsule, sealed in lead box within concrete
  • Plaque location: Edge of Indian forest
• Opening: Scheduled for the year 2979

Future Plans

• Several time capsules planned for different locations on Earth and in space

Postscript

• The text written in 1982 holds increased relevance post-September 11, 2001

Key Takeaways

• Agnes Denes used art to challenge societal norms and provoke thought on global issues.
• "Wheatfield - A Confrontation" serves as both an artistic and socio-political statement.
• The project connects global communities by distributing seeds and engaging with existential questions for future generations.