RON BENNER
Ron Benner & Jeff Thomas – Corn = Life: The Power of Naming
Ron Benner and Jeff Thomas
Corn = Life: The Power of Naming Curated by Yuluo Wei June 23 – October 26, 2024 Public Opening Reception: Sunday, June 23, 2024, 2 – 4pm Location: 248 Steelcase Rd. E, Markham (Free onsite parking) Industrial Arts Sculpture Garden 2024 presents a unique fusion of two artists’ visions that interweaves living native plants with evocative historical imagery. Curated by Yuluo Wei and presented by Steelcase Art Projects, this artwork is a tribute to Indigenous peoples’ agricultural and cultural heritage. At its heart lies a striking white-purple trellis, an homage to the 1613 Two Row Treaty–a foundational agreement between Dutch settlers and Thomas’ Haudenosaunee ancestors. Benner plants a rich tapestry of culturally significant native American plants and corn, including varieties Peruvian Purple Maize, Mandan Bride, Assiniboian Flint, and Iroquoian Rainbow, which grow to embrace the structure. These are accompanied by tomatoes, chilli peppers, marigolds, sunflowers and many others, creating a rich flora that honours its Indigenous origins. |
Jeff Thomas’ photographs connect deeply with Ron Benner’s garden and serve as personal and collective contemplation on the environmental and societal ramifications of broken promises. The Two Row Treaty symbolizes mutual recognition and autonomy. Reflecting this spirit, both artists contribute to the garden with a sense of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
Throughout the summer, the garden has blossomed into an abundance of flowers and edible plants. Join us for an unforgettable community gathering at Ron Benner and Jeff Thomas’ renowned photographic and garden installation. Benner will host a lively Corn Roast, offering delicious roasted corn on the cob, generously topped with butter, salt, Mexican chili powder, and a splash of fresh lime juice. This uniqueevent blends elements of sculpture, installation, and performance art. Attendees will experience Benner’s iconic roving corn-roasting wagon, Maiz Barbacoa. Corn Roast Monday, September 30, 2024, 11am – 1pm The event is free and all are welcome |
AGO Talk: Ron Benner's Anthro-Apologies
Ron Benner, Anthro-Apologies (And the trees grew inwards – for Manuel Scorza), 1979-80. Gelatin silver photographs, paper, textile, wood, metal, dried and fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and spices. Gift from The Peggy Lownsbrough Fund, 1994. © Ron Benner 94/299.
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Monday, June 14, 2021 @ 11 am EST
Join Sjoukje van der Laan (Assistant Conservator, Contemporary Art) and Nadia Abraham (Interpretive Planner) in a conversation about Canadian artist Ron Benner’s Anthro-Apologies (and the trees grew inwards – for Manuel Scorza) (1979-1980), where they will talk about the conservation challenges around this contemporary art installation. The materials that Benner employs in this work includes flowers, fruits, and vegetables, which are allowed to deteriorate over the course of the exhibition. Although decay is an important part of the artist's concept, it also presents a unique challenge for installation. |
