Artwork Details

Means of Production Garden

Artist

Oliver Kellhammer, Hives for Humanity Society

Year

2016

Neighbourhood

Strathcona

Location

Means of Production Garden E. 6th and St. Catherines

Description

Means of Production was initially implemented in 2002 by the artist Oliver Kellhammer and members of the Environmental Youth Alliance with financial support from the Art & The Environment initiative of the Community Arts Council of Vancouver as well as the Vancouver Parks Board.

Means of Production is a land art installation that takes the form of a regularly harvested biomaterials plantation on a hillside in North China Creek Park. The plantings also intercept and absorb surface runoff from heavy rains, provide habitat for urban wildlife and pollinators and create a thriving social/ecological space for performances, workshops and the enjoyment of nature. Work there is ongoing and so the visual of the landscape is constantly in flux as the harvesting cycles, seasonal growth and artistic interventions take place. The harvested materials-willow, empress tree, bamboo, hazel, ash, iris and hollyhock- form the basis of social practice and biomaterial initiatives led by various artists. Sharon Kallis and David Gowman in particular have initiated and coordinated much of the activity and in 2012, in collaboration with a wide range of creative practitioners and local residents created the stepped pathways, re-terraced the landscaped walkways and wove the living willow arches in the annual harvested crops with support from the Neighbourhood Matching Fund.

Environmental Youth Alliance is the site's managing entity with support from EartHand Gleaners Society and they have developed extensive programming and community outreach.

For more information please see: moparrc.com and http://www.oliverk.org/art-projects/land-art/means-of-production

Medium/discipline of Project

Garden/greenway

Park Board Funding Program

Neighbourhood Matching Fund

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