Artist Statement
In the 1950s, Cannabis sativa was widely and legally cultivated in the USSR as an industrial crop (hemp) for use in textiles, medicine, construction and other industries. Farmers who excelled in crop growth were recognized with prestigious awards. Demand for hemp later declined owing to the rise of inexpensive synthetic fibres. Hemp and weed are both Cannabis sativa, but differ in their THC content. This painting draws from a 1956 photograph (Cannabis Harvesting USSR: Энциклопедия конопли) featuring a woman harvesting hemp.
Original $1000. Prints from $150, please inquire.