Agnes Denes: The Future is Fragile

The MAK Center for Art and Architecture is pleased to present Agnes Denes: The Future is Fragile, an exhibition bringing together key works by Agnes Denes that challenge our relationship to land, resources, and ecological stewardship. Known for her pioneering conceptual and environmental art, Denes has long questioned the impact of industrialization and privatization on the natural world, urging us to reimagine land as a shared resource.

Through radical map projections, explored in her series Study of Distortion—Isometric Systems in Isotropic Space, and ecological proposals, Denes expands our understanding of the planet as both system and symbol. Anchored by documentation of iconic projects like Wheatfield—A Confrontation (1982), where Denes cultivated a wheat field in Manhattan as a symbol of global inequities, the exhibition highlights her deep commitment to sustainable futures.

At a time of escalating climate crises, Denes’ work asks us to reconsider how land and nature can foster collective responsibility and ecological renewal. 

Extending this inquiry into the present, the exhibition features a reading table displaying sketches for the artist's proposed public artwork, 1000 Sunflowers to Drive By, envisioned for the median along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. The project imagines a field of illuminated sunflowers transforming a stretch of urban infrastructure into a luminous landscape: an emblem of regeneration and shared care. Conceived in dialogue with The Future is Fragile, this proposal positions the exhibition as a stage for future growth and a platform for ongoing programmatic and artistic investigation.

Graphic design support generously provided by Handbuilt / Additional support provided by UAP / Special thanks to Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects.