Art Basil is a solarpunk basil-madness project that will run every summer until I’m dead.
Art Basil began in May 2020 when I was suddenly hijacked by dreams of growing obscene amounts of basil. Within three months I had 300 basil plants and 15 loving basil portraits in a small Brooklyn backyard. Art Basil 2: 1000 Basil emerged in June 2021 hosted by the sauna rats of Calx Vida Studios.
For Art Basil 2 I grew 1000 basil plants on a rooftop in Brooklyn in donated used 5lb coffee bags and homemade compost. The plants were accompanied by 24 paintings with overlapping, stylized basil leaf designs; a basil soundscape room; and a 10ft tall “Painting of 1000 basil” lined with basil plants. Snacking on pestos and drinking basil cocktails, all viewers were encouraged to transform their own urban spaces into basil gardens and galleries.
Building big basil showpiece
Big basil is born
Majestic big basil painting lined by basil plants
Accumulating basil paintings
Even MORE accumulating basil paintings
Luscious basil friends
Michael gobbling the pesto
Accumulating basil painting outside
Accumulating basil paintings outside
So many beautiful basil friends
Basil friends entranced by the basil
Akane by the basil
Tif and Clover by the basil
Celia and Kirsten by the basil
Eric by the basil
Basil prom photos
It began to rain on the painting
It began to rain on the painting