Sky High Farm to Launch First-Ever Art Biennial

Summary

Sky High Farm, an artist-founded nonprofit working to combat food injustice, has announced its inaugural art biennial.
The exhibition will be on view from June 28 through October 2025 in Germantown, New York.
Among the 50 featured artists are Anne Imhof, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Tschabalala Self, Félix González-Torres and more.

Sky High Farm is initiating its first art biennial titled “TREES NEVER END AND HOUSES NEVER END“. Over the past few years, this charitable organization has created quite an impact by collaborating with prominent fashion brands such as Dover Street Market and Balenciaga in their joint efforts to combat food insecurity. Now, they are ushering in a new phase with this notable achievement, as they broaden their horizons to a brand-new 560-acre riverside location.

The exhibition, spearheaded by Dan Colen (who’s also supported by Gagosian) will be displayed at an old apple storage warehouse on the Hudson River in Germantown, NY. This site-specific event will gather 50 renowned artists from around the world, such as Anne Imhof, Félix González-Torres, Tschabalala Self, Ben Wigfall and Rirkrit Tiravanija. Each artist contributes uniquely to the central theme: what we carry with us versus what we leave behind, reflecting their individual expertise and methodologies.

The program delves into the ecology, industry, and heritage of the Hudson Valley region, its connection to New York City, and how its rich past and surrounding environment inspire creativity: Imhof’s water containers symbolize the conflict between natural landscapes and human development, while Brian Jungen’s sculpture, crafted from metal salvaged from his studio after a wildfire, lends an authentic sense of urgency to the display.

Among other notable features, there’s Rudolf Stingel’s large-scale mirrored floor artwork that mirrors the unending flow and ebb of nearby river currents, and González-Torres’ “Untitled (It’s Just a Matter of Time)” billboard series consisting of 24 pieces placed along the tidal area. The political message in this installation, initially relevant two decades ago, remains as powerful today as it was when first created.

Every two years, this event will present a unique artist-led fundraising strategy, replacing conventional auctions with adaptable, artist-devised contributions. The income generated will aid Sky High Farm’s objective of cultivating and disseminating nutritious produce, offering educational courses on sustainable farming and climate justice, and funding food equity initiatives across the United States and globally.

In a statement, Colen shared that Sky High impacts numerous individuals because it functions through multiple avenues – from artistic expression to health initiatives, as well as environmental studies. He explained that the farm was conceived with an intent to step away from the commercial aspects of art creation and re-explore the link between art and human connection. This endeavor demanded a conviction in establishing novel frameworks and models for transformation, a commitment which is vividly portrayed in this exhibition.

Embarking on an exciting new venture, Sky High Farm demonstrates the incredible outcomes when art, agriculture, and advocacy intersect. The first installment of the TREES NEVER END HOUSES NEVER END biennial will be displayed in Germantown from June 28, 2023 to October 2025. For further details and announcements, visit the organization’s website.

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