Before the high-rises, condos and financial centers of Battery Park City, the area behind the Twin Towers was a landfill. In 1982, artist Agnes Denes was commissioned by the Public Art Fund to create one of the most significant pieces of public work Manhattan has ever seen (well, in my opinion). Instead of a sculpture, Denes planted a beautiful golden wheat field, right next to the gleaming silver towers of the World Trade. For Wheatfield – A Confrontation, Denes and volunteers removed trash from the 4 acres of land, then literally planted amber waves of grain atop the area. After months of farming and irrigation, the field produced wheat, and the artist and her volunteers harvested thousands of pounds of wheat that was given to food banks in the city. Art for social change…

With the insane prices all over the city, a project like this will never happen again. At least we still have Earth Room.

Who: Agnes Denes

What: Wheatfield, A Confrontation

Where: Battery Park City