Husk
is a collaborative and multi-platform art duo committed to exploring
the agricultural histories and possibilities of New York City.
Christina
Kelly and Jeff Hutchison first met in 2009 while Christina was growing
corn on a barge and Jeff was drawing plants and pitchforks in Auto-CAD.
They discovered a shared fascination with the agricultural history
of Brooklyn and beyond. Through their talks and work together on
the Brooklyn Maize project, ideas grew and projects have taken shape.
Christina is a visual artist and filmmaker. Her recent work has focused
on the historical past, loss and transformations that express resiliency,
survival and sometimes hopefulness. She worked for many years as
a film and television editor but when her son was born in 2007
she went on hiatus from filmmaking and started planting corn. The
events must be related but she is still not sure exactly how. Her
public art project Maize
Field was supported by the DOT Urban Art program and the Brooklyn
Arts Council. She is currently an artist in residence at the LMCC
studios on Governors Island.
Jeff
grew up in the shadow of an Apricot orchard in what became the Silicon
Valley. He watched orchards disappear and technology take hold. Gardening
has always been a part of his life and after becoming disinterested
in pursuing his graduate studies he returned to gardening and developed
an interest in farming. Jeff has worked with farms in California,
Rhode Island, New York and through out Japan. Jeff lives in Brooklyn
and works as a freelance gardener and farmer. |