Ten Thousand Suns is a summer-long botanical performance in Providence, Rhode Island in which over 10,000 sunflower seeds have been planted and being nurtured over the course of the summer months, on land that until recently sat under a highway, with high compaction, low-organic material, and embedded with toxicity.
A portion of the performance is simply the presence of the those who have volunteered to care for the field, with no other motive then “developing” a garden/park for everyone to enjoy.
Rather than using high maintenance and energy intensive large swaths of turf grass, the installation uses the bio-accumulating (removes toxins) and habitat creating properties of Helioanthus (aka, Sunflower) planted in rows in a series of large circles, leaving paths in-between for intimate exploration.
The project will create a spontaneous and unique cultural identity for the citizens of Providence and its visitors during the summer months.
The project will last for the duration of the life-cycle of the sunflowers (June-September) and at the end of the sunflowers cycle they will be collectedand composted.
10,000 SUNS was created and directed by local Landscape Architect and RISD Adjunct Prof. Adam E. Anderson, but made possible by a team of volunteer artists, architects, students, friends, neighbors, and passerbyers. Permission and funding was granted by the I-195 District Commission.
Image courtesy of Adam E. Anderson.