Wheatfield – A Confrontation | By Agnes Denes

In 1982 Agnes Denes planted and harvested a 2 acre wheatfield opposite the world trade center in the Manhattan Battery Park landfill. The furrows were dug, seeded, and soiled by hand. It was maintained for 4 months before being harvested. The collected grain contributed to the "The International Art Show for the End of World Hunger" exhibition in 28 cities and consequently the seeds were re-planted by people around the world. The wheatfield symbolically represented global commerce, economic inequality, food supply/demand, and mismanagement. It was a pioneering ecological artistic statement that questioned our misplaced priorities, deteriorating values, and the future of humanity. Its stark contrast to the urban city skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty rising from behind the field, and the world trade center looking upon it made the work an even more surreal confrontation on capitalism and a call to re-evaluate how we intend on contributing to a better sustainable future.