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.

This dynamic and contemplative space invites viewers to be part of a living document. May it inspire new pathways towards a harmonious coexistence.

Public Programs

Picnic with Ron Benner
Listening to Ron Benner’s talk while enjoying a fun and engaged picnic with friends.
August 21, 2024, 1:30pm

Corn Roast
Monday, September 30, 2024, 11am – 1pm

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 unique event blends elements of sculpture, installation, and performance art. Attendees will experience Benner’s iconic roving corn-roasting wagon, Maiz Barbacoa. Originally commissioned for Toronto’s first Scotiabank Nuit Blanche in 2006, Maiz Barbacoa features captivating images of corn roasters from around the globe and displays the names of corn in over 50 languages.

The event is free and all are welcome.

Hop on the Art Bus

October 19, 2024, 12pm – 5:30pm

This tour offers a final chance to enjoy Benner and Thomas’s live installation before the season ends.

Experience three engaging GTA exhibitions that explore agriculture and botany. Start with Botannica Tirannica at the Koffler Gallery, followed by Corn = Life: The Power of Naming at Industrial Arts, and end with Art Farm at Doris McCarthy Gallery.

Education Program
​​In tandem with Corn = Life: The Power of Naming, Steelcase Art Projects will facilitate weekly summer Junior Placemaker program over three weeks, for youth volunteers of age 14-18. 

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