American Monolith

2017

At first glance, American Monolith celebrates the beauty and possibility of a seed. More significantly, it encourages a more sustainable vision for American agriculture.

.The vessels in this exhibition were designed to challenge the pervasive agricultural practice of monoculture. For this exhibition, a series of unfired vessels were made out of clay from my backyard and embedded with seeds. Formally, these vessels were reminiscent of the iconic barn silhouetted on the agricultural landscape. Functionally, they were baskets that held seeds.* When united, both seed and vessel championed sustainable growing practices. At the end of the exhibition, the vessels were broken, and their elements repurposed. Seeds were planted, vegetables grown, food harvested, and the new generation of seeds was saved.

*Many of the seeds contained within the vessels were generously donated by Sow True Seed, a wonderful company that I encourage you to support.


American Monolith exhibition room view
American Monolith ceramic works on pedestals
American Monolith vessel
American Monolith ceramic vessel
Closeup of seeds embedded in pot
Closeup of seeds embedded in pot
Closeup of seeds embedded in pot