Binghamton (WIVT) – Art lovers visiting Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts gallery in Binghamton over the weekend did a double take when they happened upon a chair made of grass.
“Green” Chair is the creation of artist and horticulturalist Josh DeMarree.
DeMarree works at the Binghamton University greenhouses and has married his love of art and botany through sculptures covered in living oat grass.
It’s the same grain fed to livestock and used to create Cheerios.
DeMarree said he grows a 7 by 7 foot square of oat grass in his home using 9 pounds of seeds and then drapes it over sculptures.
He said he loves seeing how fascinated people are with the chair.
“It’s super vibrant green and it’s super fleshy. If you were here, people wanted to touch it. It’s very tactile. And it’s not like grass out in your yard, which is thin. This has a little bit of weight to it and the green is really consistent,” said DeMarree.
Gallery goers are allowed to gently pet the chair but not sit in it.
The oat grass is already aging and turning yellow.
Your last chance to see it is this Saturday.
The gallery on State Street opens at noon, however, DeMarree said the plan is that starting at about 12:30, baby miniature goats will begin eating it.
His next project is to create a entire living room covered in oat grass.