Artist Creates Larger-Than-Life Replica of Van Gogh Painting
Crop artist Stan Herd created 1.2-acre version of van Gogh's "Olive Trees."
— -- If you're flying near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and look out your window, you might see a museum-worthy piece of art.
Landscape artist Stan Herd created a crop art replica of Vincent van Gogh's 1889 painting "Olive Trees" on 1.2 acres of land in Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art commissioned the painting, which Herd completed Sept. 11, after six months of hard work.
Herd created the landscape art, or "earthwork" as he calls it, by digging, planting and mowing a giant grass field.
The Kansas-born artist used organic materials such as kale, squash, cucumbers, oats and wheat straw to create the green, yellow, orange and gold colors of the artwork.
Herd said he was satisfied with the effort that he put into the "Olive Trees" landscape replica, but he doesn't think he's "ever truly been satisfied" with his earthworks in relation to the vision he had in his head.
"That’s the dance with nature," Herd said.
In addition to his work in the United States, Herd has created landscape artwork in Australia, Cuba, England and Brazil.
Herd is working for humanitarian efforts with Green My Favela and the Brazilian government with a piece called "Young Woman of Brazil."
Herd explained that his art is more than just an individual project; it is a community effort that takes collaboration from the members of the communities he visits.
"At the end of the day, it’s about leaving something and making friends in the process," Herd said.
"People come away with something. I certainly do."
