The Infinite Lawn

Jody Joyner

2022 4Ground: Midwest Land Art Biennial Participant

Aluminum, salvaged SynLawn artificial grass, miscellaneous hardware.

Artist Statement

The Infinite Lawn considers the unsustainable, seemingly scaleless nature of lawns in the American landscape. Some environmental consequences of manicured lawns include water consumption, carbon emissions, chemical runoff, and reduced biodiversity. Yet, the iconicity of the suburban lawn remains so deeply embedded in the American imaginary that lawns persist. The sculpture is based on a digital model of a cyclorama wall— a curved wall used as a photo or video background to suggest infinite space. Models are tangible objects with real material properties; they’re also abstract devices used to describe speculative possibilities. The model cyclorama wall emphasizes the idea of lawn as both image and object.