Corn Fields

Farming as Science; The New Machine

The sculpture “Corn Fields, Farming as Science; The New Machine”,  is for the Sanders Farm Project 2013 in Garrison, NY.

Continuing my journey on technology and farming this sculpture was inspired by the evolution of corn. Corn is a staple crop that’s importance lies on feeding the world. As the human population continues to rise we depend on farmers to increase global food production.

Farmers have been selecting the most productive plants and seeds from their crops for thousands of years. In the last quarter century,  scientists have begun selecting productive traits at the individual gene level to create new seeds. Science has become the new machine farmers use to increase crop yields. But with this new machine, scientists have created corn plants that are no longer self-sustainable. It is now believed that if farmers stopped planting seeds tomorrow, corn would cease to exist.

“Corn Fields” sculpture represents the force between nature and science. Cables with wood pieces are woven through the structure representing genetic modification of the seed. The wood pieces symbolize the original seed thus creating the web of life.

The sculpture sits upright in the landscape allowing the viewer to see through the openings to our natural environment posing the question, has science become more powerful than the farmer?

The sculpture is made from painted 1/8" steel and painted wood pieces.
Measuring 4ft. D x 5ft. W x 8ft. H

Corn Fields is currently on exhibit at Sculpture for Leonia at the Leonia Public Library.