New York Mills Sculpture Park New York Mills, MN 1997
The Cornfield of Iron consists of three rows of seven cornstalks; these stalks represent individuals who stand together as a community. The artwork’s human scale encourages viewers to walk through and interact with the stalks.
The cornstalks are composed of forged steel leaves and stems and cast iron corn cobs. The cobs contain imagery derived from individuals participating in community workshops. Community members are asked a series of questions involving personal and community identity. Their answers are translated to visual symbols and used to produce the corn cobs. This interactive process promotes a dialogue within the community and personalizes the final sculpture to its location.
