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Reflections on the sensitive and multifaceted interaction between humans and nature have existed since prehistory in the form of art and everyday as well as ritual actions. Today, this theme shapes discourses in the natural sciences and the humanities, especially since we are increasingly reaching the edge of our planet's capacities through the exploitation of natural resources with the help of turbo-capitalist economic growth. The unrestrained acceleration of industry and economy since the industrial revolution — higher, further, faster — ignores the complex relationship between nature and humans, and our dependence on a limited habitat. Only the global catastrophe of climate change makes the vulnerability of taking and giving evident and raises the question of the necessities for our existence.
Agriculture, which has fulfilled and regulated our basic needs since the Neolithic era, and art, which reflects society and confronts it with new possibilities, become tense fields of reference in these reflections. The project OPEN FIELDS – Art and Agriculture focuses on these basic human needs for physical and spiritual nourishment. At the same time, it deals with historical, political and social contexts, new impulses and current approaches. Through the meeting of two apparent opposites, space is given to create something new.
Farmers who are interested in contemporary art are invited to open their farms to international artists from various disciplines such as music, literature, performance, film, digital media, visual arts, etc. These artists will spend up to one month on selected farms to develop temporary artworks. This is intended to give space and time for a serious and critical examination of the topics of art and agriculture in mutual respect. The farmers were carefully selected together with the scientific advisor Klaus Schrefler, the artists by an international jury consisting of: Ramesh Daha, Robert Höldrich, Katrina Petter, Andreas Unterweger and Elisabeth Fiedler as chairwoman.
Participating artists and artist collectives: Astarti Athanasiadou & Stéphane Verlet Bottéro, Samuel Collins & Sho Murayama, Amanda Couch, Markus Hiesleitner, Katharina Klement, Sujit Mallik, Valle Medina & Benjamin Reynolds, Jonathan Mizrahi, Rainer Nöbauer-Kammerer, Georg Nussbaumer, Gina van der Ploeg, Eva Seiler and Paul Wiersbinski.
OPEN FIELDS
Art and Agriculture
Image Credits
Location
Art in Public Space
Curators
Elisabeth Fiedler
Co-curators
Jasmin Haselsteiner-Scharner
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About the
Project
The Institute for Art in Public Space Styria combines the realms of art and agriculture with this project. It includes 13 sub-project of various international artists and artist collectives and just as many farms in Styria.
OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Past projects
Event
Georg Nussbaumer
SCHWEIGEN & MUh | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "SCHWEIGEN & MUh. An Opera of Silence and Darkness with cows and concert grand" by Georg Nussbaumer in Admont, in the context of "OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture".
14.10.2023
Event
Jonathan Omer Mizrahi
Black Milk | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "Black Milk" by Jonathan Omer Mizrahi " in Oberwölz, in the context of OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture".
30.09.2023
Event
Astarti Athanasiadou & Stéphane Verlet Bottéro
Farm/Dance, Feeling/Doing, Focus/Derail (agriculture as embodiment) | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening and dance performance by Astarti Athanasiadou & Stéphane Verlet Bottéro in the context of "OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture".
02.09.2023
Event
Paul Wiersbinski
Un-Knowing | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "Nicht-Wissen / Un-Knowing" by Paul Wiersbinski in Pöllau, in the context of „OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture“.
25.06.2023
Event
Sujit Mallik
Loss of horizon and converging acts | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "Loss of horizons and converging acts" by Sujit Mallik in Bad Mitterndorf, in the context of "OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture".
17.06.2023
Event
Markus Hiesleitner
The Grand Cycle | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "The Grand Cycle" by Markus Hiesleitner in Groß St. Florian in the context of OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture.
19.05.2023
Event
Eva Seiler
Se Kuala se | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project "Se Kuala se" by Eva Seiler in the context of „OPEN FIELDS – Art and Agriculture“.
28.04.2023
Event
Shō Alexander Murayama & Samuel Collins, SOIL WALL GARDEN, 2022
SOIL WALL GARDEN | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project „SOIL WALL GARDEN“ by Shō Alexander Murayama and Samuel Collins in the context of „OPEN FIELDS – Art and Agriculture“.
15.08.2022
Event
Gina van der Ploeg, Weaving Layers: Knowing where to begin
Weaving Layers: Knowing where to begin | OPEN FIELDS - Art and Agriculture
Opening of the project „Weaving Layers: "Knowing where to begin" by Gina van der Ploeg in Weiz in the context of „OPEN FIELDS – Art and Agriculture“.
22.07. - 23.07.2022
Exhibition at the Neue Galerie Graz
In der Ausstellung OFFENE FELDER. Kunst und Landwirtschaft in der Neuen Galerie Graz werden alle zwölf Projekte von OFFENE FELDER abschließend gemeinsam an einem Ort präsentiert.
