By Jenny Zeller
2025 Artist in Residence, Max Sorenson, works at the intersection of art and ecology. His practice spans intricate, nature-inspired drawings and sculptural installations, informed by his background in ecological restoration. Walking is central to his process—an act that allows him to engage deeply with the land and its layered histories.
During his residency, Max became interested in how ecosystems shift over time. At Bernheim, these changes unfold at different speeds. The natural forest moves gradually, while the arboretum’s prairies are shaped by more frequent disturbances like fire. Restoration practices—prescribed burns, brush clearing, and forest management—participate in these cycles, effectively resetting ecological “time.”
He was especially drawn to edges: places where forests meet fields, where wild and curated landscapes overlap. These transitional spaces reflect the relationship between Bernheim’s forest and arboretum. Walking these edges during his residency offered a way to consider both the ecological and cultural histories unique to this place.
These ideas come together in A Long Conversation, the work Max created during his time at Bernheim. The installation features two large, ephemeral text works formed entirely by walking phrases into the lawn: “what was once” and “it is now”. Together, they explore time, change, and the ongoing relationship between humans and the land.
The phrases reflect Bernheim’s layered history. “What was once” gestures toward old-growth forests and the stewardship of Native communities prior to European colonization. “It is now” acknowledges nearly a century of restoration work that has shaped the land into a mosaic of curated and wild landscapes.
The installation can be found in the lawn past the front entrance, on the left side of Visitor Center Drive near the Hymn of Justice bronze tablet on Tablet Hill—a fitting companion to Max’s work.
From the Artist:
Over time, I’ve learned that good ecological restoration acknowledges the complexity of looking to the past as a model for biodiversity we hope to carry into the future. It recognizes the significant physical and cultural shifts that shape the land as we make that leap across time.
Good restoration considers these changes carefully and understands that land holds both ecological and cultural identity. Even better restoration shares this nuance with the public—telling stories that help us reconnect with the resilient diversity of native ecosystems. This is the aim of my work as an artist and ecological restorationist, and of this installation at Bernheim, A Long Conversation.
Ecologically, edges are places of change, diversity, and the unexpected. They often exist between plant communities at different stages of succession—between two moments in ecological space and time. Since arriving at Bernheim, I’ve come to see it as an “edge” within the broader cultural and ecological landscape of central Kentucky. It is a mosaic of highly curated and distinctly wild spaces, situated within a largely developed region.
While Bernheim’s restored, nearly old-growth forest defines it spatially, much of its public-facing work happens in the arboretum—the “front-country.” These areas may not be as biodiverse as the forest, but they play a critical role. They invite people in.
Bernheim’s value lies in its ability to hold both ‘what was once’ and ‘what it is now.’ It creates a bridge—welcoming people of all backgrounds into relationship with the land. That connection often begins in the front-country, where visitors are met where they are and gently invited closer to the natural world.
This is where ecological restoration becomes cultural.
A Long Conversation consists of two large-scale text works created by repeatedly walking the phrases ‘what was once’ and ‘it is now’ into the grass. The words focus on time and change, while their form reinforces those ideas. The phrases will shift and fade. Visitors will walk them, altering their paths. Over time, they will disappear back into the landscape.
The work is ephemeral, evolving, and alive. It reflects how history—both human and ecological—shapes the present. It reminds us that our movements and actions leave marks on the living systems that sustain us.
Ultimately, A Long Conversation honors Bernheim’s efforts to restore ‘what was once’ while celebrating ‘what it is now’—a dynamic landscape that nurtures both ecological health and our shared relationship to the land.
