An Update on AAC’s Growing Artworks!

And they’re off! The wide assortments of fruits and vegetables planted on the grounds of the Arlington Arts Center have been rapidly growing over the past couple of weeks. Despite last week’s excessive heat index, the outdoor site projects on the grounds of AAC, The Gourd Palace Spirit House and The Straw Bale Farm, are thriving!

The Gourd Palace has been attracting a lot of attention lately. Although the artist of the Gourd Palace, Doug Retzler, told us to expect to see the gourds grow at least one foot a day, we are still shocked by the growth of the vines every time we see the sculpture. The blossoming tendrils are continuing to crawl up the structure, and some vines are already reaching the top of the frame. Within one week’s time its appearance has completely changed; it won’t be long until the gourds completely cover the sculpture, creating a gourd canopy.

The community garden project, The Straw Bale Farm by Susan Leibovitz Steinman, has also continued to grow in leaps and bounds! Last week the staff at AAC harvested and pruned the bales, gathering so many basil leaves that we asked our volunteer gardeners to take some home with them! Last Thursday, during our morning inspection, we saw that the eggplants are just about ready to be harvested, the tomatoes are getting larger, the blueberries are ripening, the various vegetables in the straw bales are steadily growing, and the basil is once again ready to be picked! The growth seen just within the last two weeks is astonishing and we are looking forward to celebrating in October with the Harvest Festival. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter as we ask for your recipes!

Inside the Arlington Arts Center galleries, more fruits and vegetables are ready to be harvested! The Harrison Studio Farm, located in the Smith and the Chairman’s Galleries, features plants being grown in the prefabricated installation such as fruit trees, blueberries, strawberries, rainbow chard, and tomatoes just to name a few. The blueberry plants have been harvested multiple times since the opening of the exhibition, and next week the rainbow chard will be picked!

Vermaculture, is another installation piece not to be missed! Located in the Truland Gallery, and created by the artist J.J. McCracken, the artwork is comprised of two vitrines of compost being created and maintained by over 1,000 worms. Not only are the worms reproducing, but there are sprouts growing out of the rich organic compost. The potato slices that were put into the vitrines have sprouted and grown roots; this is a welcome sign that the worms are thriving in their nutrient-rich compost-environment.

Exhibitions are constantly growing and changing at AAC this summer and fall. We are truly excited to experience and watch the changes within the various installations and beautiful plants.  Be sure to check-in periodically at AAC to witness this ever-growing exhibition!

– Written by Carolyn Bauer, Curatorial Intern at the Arlington Arts Center

This exhibition is made possible by an Emily Hall Tremaine Exhibition Award. The Exhibition Award program was founded in 1998 to honor Emily Hall Tremaine. It rewards innovation and experimentation among curators by supporting thematic exhibitions that challenge audiences and expand the boundaries of contemporary art.