About this project

I've been obsessed with grain elevators since I was a little kid growing up in the Midwest. I remember going to the elevator to deliver grain. While sitting in line waiting for our turn to unload, I'd stare out the truck window up at the enormous structure and think "that would be so cool as something else"............

Between then and now, I've traveled the world, studying and working in all things landscape; no adventure passed up that is even remotely related to how we use and interact with land. I've since re-focused the obsession to the Midwest, in particular suburbs in place of corn fields and thus, derelict grain elevators. They're no longer necessary.

What do we do with these relics that are too heavily engineered to demolish?

We began trying to answer this question a few years ago about the exact elevator described above. It's now vacant, the curved walls utilized as a rock climbing facility, a stones throw from Omaha's city center, and is passed daily by 76,000 cars on the adjacent freeway. And here's what we've come up with: invite artists all over the nation to design 20'x80' panels to hang on 16 of the silos that interpret the interconnectedness of land use, agriculture, and food and then celebrate the opening of the massive pieces of art with an enormous dinner table and meal at the base of the elevator. All the food for the meal will be provided by small scale local farmers. All the art panels will be sponsored by food/agriculture corporations, and ALL will enjoy an epic celebration in the shadow of the iconic relic.

Big infrastructure next to big infrastructure and they're both about what sustain(ed) us.

Here's where you, cool Kickstarter folks, come in. A generously innovative philanthropic foundation has challenged us with matching funds for anything we bring in between now and April 15th. We have no money right now but need some to very quickly launch the call for artist submissions: print material, a website, a big email account to accept lots of entries, and money to host a jury that will select the 16 panels to hang from the structure.

Meanwhile, we can provide you with some unbelievable experiences - a major call-out on our upcoming website, a delivery of corn-on-the-cob from The Cornhusker State, a seat at the biggest dinner table you've ever sat at, a day climbing the elevator, and even the opportunity to sponsor one of the panels. I forgot to mention that the panels will hang in Omaha for 3-4 months then move on to other vacant elevators before being re-purposed into temporary shelter and sent to a country in need.

Everyone wins. And that's what we like. Become a backer NOW and join us in this epic undertaking!