Art Imitates Farm Life at This New Bedford Exhibition

A special art show at the New Bedford Art Museum in Massachusetts is giving visitors a fresh way to think about farming. The exhibition, called 'agriCultural: A Biennial Exhibition,' is open until November 29. It brings together artists who farm, farmers who make art, and artists who find ideas in agriculture. The show was organized by the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership, also known as SEMAP.

The exhibition features more than two dozen works selected because they each tell a complex or surprising story about farm life. One piece shows a cow painted in shades of a single color, with soft, dreamy eyes. Another is a sculpture that was partly made with the help of honey bees. A third features a simple rake wrapped in white linen, calling to mind a famous painting called 'American Gothic' by Regionalist artist Grant Wood.

Museum executive director Suzanne de Vegh explained why the show was created. 'Instead of just publishing where to buy local food, we wanted to use arts and culture to tell a story so people will look at agriculture in a deeper way,' she said. The goal was to connect the public with farming in a meaningful and creative way. Art, the organizers believe, can open eyes in ways that a simple list of local farms cannot.

The South Coast of Massachusetts has a long history with both farming and art. The Wampanoag people farmed this land for thousands of years and later shared their knowledge with Colonial settlers. Money earned from the whaling industry eventually helped build a strong art community in the region. These deep roots made New Bedford a fitting home for an exhibition that joins those two traditions.

One standout piece is 'Shared Architecture,' a sculpture by Rhode Island artist Susan Medyn. Medyn is both a watercolor painter and a master beekeeper. She weaves caning and embroidery materials into her beehives and lets the bees reshape them over time. The result shows the bees' own creativity and skill.

Other works in the show also tell interesting stories. Dartmouth artist JP Powell created 'Panic Grasses,' a piece that makes viewers feel like they are watching real marsh grasses sway in the wind. Sculptor and photographer Stephen Althouse, who grew up on a Pennsylvania farm, wrapped a rake in white fabric for his piece called 'Rake 1.' Brad Fesmire, SEMAP's community engagement and program director, summed up the spirit of the show: 'More often than not, this farmer who also makes art has a lot more to say about farming and the world than just growing a tomato.'