Prairie perspectives

The meaning of ecologically driven art and eco-revelatory design about grasslands can be understood by examining the intent and aims of contemporary artists and landscape architects working to reveal the intrinsic value of a place. The tension between what exists and what has already been lost in global grasslands is an important aspect of grassland scientific inquiry. In parallel, artists and designers’ work can reframe what is understood about grassland landscapes, both extant and destroyed. The authors draw from contemporary works by artists to distill a framework they bring to collaborative work in, with, and about the prairie. Through the framework (what is not understood; whose knowledge is revealed; how can art and design reframe what is known), the authors discuss their own projects, Konza Prairie Drawings and Grassland Interview, in the context of influential contemporary art.