A Hungarian-born American artist, Agnes Denes (b. 1931) is a pioneer in environmental, ecological, and conceptual art. Her family survived the Nazi occupation in WWII and migrated to Sweden before settling in the United States.
In 1982, Denes planted a 2-acre wheatfield on a landfill in Manhattan two blocks away from the Wall Street and the World Trade Center. Against the backdrop of Wall Street, this golden wheatfield stood for four months and mesmerized many New Yorkers. Denes said in regard to this work, “… the work had to have a meaning, a strong message, and, of course, the paradox. … the work turned out to be one block from Wall Street, facing the Statue of Liberty, for which this country stands, in the middle of traffic in a bustling city. A large golden field of grain on land meant for the rich, on expensive real estate.” (From an interview with Ulrich Obrist)
Today, more than forty years after she created this monumental work entitled “Wheatfield – A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan,” her vision touches even more deeply given the ever-increasing degradation of our environment, the ongoing mismanagement of land and food systems, and the widening divide between the poor and the wealthy—all the result of corporate capitalism, as well as geopolitical control of resources.
Denes said that this work represented “food, energy, commerce, world trade, economics” and referred to “mismanagement, waste, world hunger.” She also said, “My decision to plant a wheatfield in Manhattan, instead of designing just another public sculpture, grew out of the longstanding concern and need to call attention to our misplaced priorities and deteriorating human values.”
At the age of 88, Denes finally had her retrospective at the Shed in New York in 2019. This publication presents more than 130 works from the exhibition, spanning the artist’s entire 50-year career.
Agnes Denes : absolutes and intermediates
New York, NY : The Shed, [2019]
English
Catalog of an exhibition held at The Shed, October 9, 2019-January 19, 2020.
HOLLIS number: 99153868498803941
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Fabrice (Freyr) - Dislyte contestHere is my entry for the Dislyte contest of DA ( #DislyteDA )
I chose Fabrice for his wonderful colors. And as he is related to Freyr, I represented the abundance by a sunny wheat field.
Timelapse on my Ko-fi page <3
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Agnes Denes
Wheatfield, 1982 Film
Wheatfield - A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfill, Downtown Manhattan
Photo: John McGrail / Courtesy Agnes Denes and Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects
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SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SOLD PAINTINGS - NEXT:
GEORGES FRANÇOIS P. LAUGÉE
(1853 - 1937)
Le Gouter
Oil on canvas
32 x 26 inches
Signed
https://rehs.com/Georges_Fran%C3%A7ois_P_Laug%C3%A9e_Le_Gouter.html
Georges François P. Laugée (1853-1937) was a French painter known for his naturalistic depictions of rural life. "Le Gouter" is one such painting that depicts a mother and her children taking a break in a wheatfield.
The painting shows a peaceful and idyllic scene of a mother, who is seen cutting a large loaf of bread, and her children surrounded by the golden colors of the ripe wheat.
In the background, a man can be seen walking towards the family. This could be the father or another family member returning from work or perhaps a friendly passerby. The painting captures the simple joys of rural life, where the family is connected to the land and each other.
Laugée's use of light and color in "Le Gouter" is particularly noteworthy. The warm tones of the wheatfield contrast beautifully with the blue sky and white clouds above. The painting exudes a sense of calm and serenity, inviting the viewer to take a moment and appreciate the beauty of nature and the joys of simple living.
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Wheatfield, Wiltshire by Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836–75).
Oil on canvas.
Wikimedia.
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July 10, 2022- wheatfield at the nearby farm-yesterday on the late afternoon dog walk
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Golden hour magic 🌅🌾 #sunrise #wheatfield #naturephotography #GoldenHourGlowUp #FieldsOfGold #NatureNirvana #SunriseSerenity #HeavenlyHarvest #DawnDelight #RaysOfWonder #wheatfieldwonderland #natureisart #magicalmornings #SunriseSpectacle #RadiantRise #EarthyEuphoria #MorningMajesty #GoldenHourGoodness #Nature'sCanvas #HarvestHues #FieldsOfDreams #RuralRapture #DazzlingDawn #AweInspiringAurora #BreathtakingBeauty #ScenicSplendor #Nature'sMasterpiece #idyllicscenes #nature #natureview #green https://www.instagram.com/p/CpypbqVSi-x/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Wheat Field Landscape! v3 #wheatstalk #wheat #wheatfield #landscape #naturescape #blueyellow #Blue #Yellow #Ukraine #clouds #meadow #field #sunshine #sunrise #naturelandscape #calm #relaxing #hyperdetail #hyperrealism #wheatgrass #tranquility #nature @nightcafestudio https://www.instagram.com/p/CnYhwpOODyM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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