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“Ground/work 2025” is an exciting outdoor sculpture exhibition at The Clark Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts

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“Ground/work 2025” is an exciting outdoor sculpture exhibition at The Clark Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Hugh Hayden, “The End.” Photo by Thomas Clark. All images courtesy of the artists and The Clark Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts

Featuring six acclaimed artists who interpret ecology and the landscape through their site-specific work. The exhibition, which spans the institute’s vast 140-acre campus of meadows, trails, and woods, invites visitors to engage with the natural environment while experiencing the artists’ unique perspectives.

Laura Ellen Bacon, “Gathering My Thoughts.” Photo by Joe Aidonidis

The six artists creating the sculptures are:

  • Yō Akiyama: A prominent Japanese ceramicist, Akiyama is a leading figure of the avant-garde Sōdeisha group, known for reimagining ceramics as a non-functional, sculptural practice.
  • Laura Ellen Bacon: This British artist is celebrated for her large-scale, woven installations using natural materials, such as willow. Her work often transforms spaces and encourages a deeper connection between nature and the built environment.
  • Aboubakar Fofana: A multidisciplinary artist and designer from Mali, Fofana is known for his work in reinvigorating and redefining West African indigo dyeing techniques. His practice explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and the plants in their environment.
  • Hugh Hayden: An American sculptor and former architect, Hayden uses wood as his primary medium. His work often anthropomorphizes the natural world, transforming familiar objects and challenging perceptions of ourselves and the environment.
  • Milena Naef: A fourth-generation artist working with stone, Naef’s sculptures explore the physical and mental space of the human body, often by creating human-sized voids and integrating her own body into the work.
  • Javier Senosiain: A Mexican architect, Senosiain is a pioneer of organic architecture. His work is characterized by curved, nature-inspired structures that blend seamlessly with the landscape and highlight the harmony between human habitats and the natural world.
Aboubakar Fofana, “Bana Yiriw ni Shi Folow (Trees and Seeds of Life).” Photo by Thomas Clark
Hugh Hayden, “The End” (detail)
Javier Senosiain, “Coata III.” Photo by Thomas Clark
Yō Akiyama, “Oscillation: Vertical Garden.” Courtesy of the artist and Joan B Mirviss LTD. Photo by Thomas Clark
Laura Ellen Bacon, “Gathering My Thoughts” (detail). Photo by Joe Aidonidis
Aboubakar Fofana, “Bana Yiriw ni Shi Folow (Trees and Seeds of Life)” (detail). Photo by Thomas Clark
Milena Naef, “Three Times Spannin.” Photo by Thomas Clark
Yō Akiyama, “Oscillation: Vertical Garden” (detail). Courtesy of the artist and Joan B Mirviss LTD. Photo by Thomas Clark

These site-specific works are placed in a variety of settings across the Clark’s grounds, from manicured parkland to open fields and groves of trees, offering a truly immersive experience for visitors. Plan your visit on the museum’s website.