david allio

Glass Gem Corn – Visual Art Collection

The Art Maize of Glass Gem

Maize is unique among cereal crops. Botanically, maize/corn has the same basic structure as the grass family and evolved from North American prairie grass.

Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays was developed by intentionally cross-breeding volunteer plants from three rainbow varieties of ancestral corns. Later, a fourth variety was introduced for diversity in color and enhanced shininess. The result is a flint corn for food or decoration.

As a visual art project, this presentation came from maize/corn grown from heirloom seeds in a raised bed. Images were selected based on three points of emphasis beyond visual composition: authenticity, variety, and comparison. Authenticity includes the form of dried silks and undeveloped kernels on some ears. Variety is shown in the assortment of shiny, colorful, unique kernels. And for comparison, in each image Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays kernels are contrasted with discrepant kernels of flat or matte texture. These matte surface kernels came from maize/corn cross-pollinated with non-GMO Peaches and Cream hybrid corn.

Did you view each image long enough to notice the difference in surface reflectivity between Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays and surrounding corn kernels?

How many different colors of Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays kernels did you find in these images?

What was your reaction to the visual of dried silks and undeveloped kernels within the Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays corn?

These are just three of the questions that are involved in the process of producing Art – something more than just a random image of an ear of corn. Additionally, consider significance to the order of images, the narrative history, and the modern symbolism of corn/maize.

In recent historic context, the symbolism of maize/corn has come to include: a “spermatic image of the US Midwest” aka North Central Plains and “significant agricultural production.”^Olderr[1] The image symbolism reference deftly focuses on the dual reproductive process of maize/corn and the inherent geographic relationship.

Just as there is a uniqueness to each kernel of Glass Gem Poaceae Zea mays corn, there is a distinct process for producing an exhibition of maize/corn as Art. With these new insights, revisit these five artworks and allow yourself to mentally explore as you become immersed in the multi-level maze of vividly composed visual art. Discover how fresh information energetically empowers you as a viewer with new personal perspectives.