Tell of Grass
Occupying a 7500 square foot cured grass field, The Tell of Grass is an inquiry into movement, time, and place making. Designed to be fully, partially exposed, or hidden, this installation is an exploration of animal movements and bird nesting habits expressed in the fluid connection between precision and abstraction while emphasizing the seasonal rhythms of grassland habitats. It is meant to be an experience of the boundaries of space, material, and temporal conditions as well as movement as an outgrowth of landscape conditions in a warming climate. Ultimately, this artwork asks the questions: What are the secrets of this site? What knowledge do the grasses hold? What is lost if they are lost?
This artwork was made in collaboration with landscape architect Reid Bertone-Johnson and students in his Art & Ecology Studio at Smith College, Northampton, MA. Joanna Aguilar, Elise Anderson, Dounya Bilal, Ebbi Boehm, Jo Born, Catrin Do, Anna Gyorgy, Lia Jacobs, Aigerim Khamar, Megan Kibogo, Maya Kiernan, Vanesa Manzo, Sheena Nomura, and Olivia Weiner .
360 Arial site photography by Reid Bertone-Johnson. All other photography by Gabrielle Russomagno.