Art Meets Ecology at Bernheim
2025 Artist in Residence, Max Sorenson, arrived in mid-September and quickly immersed himself in the Bernheim ecosystem. He has already joined our Natural Areas and Horticulture teams on several projects, from pulling invasive plants to helping build a beaver dam analog.
A Bridge Between Art and Conservation
Max’s work sits at the intersection of art and ecology. He has served as a visiting artist at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, where he presented an exhibition and artist talk during Leopold Week, the foundation’s annual virtual speaker series. His previous residencies include the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala, Nebraska, and Tranquilo Bay Eco-Adventure Lodge in Bocas del Toro, Panamá.
In 2024, Max worked with the Institute for Applied Ecology on a native seed collection crew, gathering seeds from locally adapted, disturbance-tolerant plants for use in arid lands restoration projects. More recently, he worked in La Crosse, Wisconsin, participating in a variety of restoration and land management projects throughout the Driftless region.
Exploring the Concept of Wildness
Max’s artwork ranges from intricate, nature-based drawings to sculptural installations. His pieces reflect his deep curiosity about conservation practices and challenge our cultural and historical understanding of “wildness.”
He notes that some of the greatest biodiversity can be found along the edges of different ecosystems. This idea inspires his current body of work at Bernheim, where he is creating ephemeral installations based on ecological edges—places of transition, diversity, and change.
Max explains,
“Ecologically, edges are places of change, diversity, and the unexpected… Since arriving at Bernheim, I’ve been really interested in thinking about this place as a sort of edge within the larger cultural and natural landscape of central Kentucky. To me, Bernheim seems to be a mosaic of both highly curated and distinctly wild landscapes… I think that Bernheim’s true value to the community lies in its unique combination of ‘what was once’ here and ‘what it is now’; namely, it builds a bridge to re-connection with our native forests, glades, and wetlands by inviting everyone—regardless of class, race, age, or creed—into relationship with the land.”
Meet Max at ColorFest
Meet Max during ColorFest, November 1 and 2, from 12–2 p.m. each day. His warm personality and genuine enthusiasm make him a delightful conversationalist. Stop by to see what he’s been creating and learn more about his artistic process.
Join a Guided Hike: A Circle Through Time
On November 9, Max will lead a guided hike titled A Circle Through Time, exploring the concept and process of ecological succession. Participants will discover how disturbance and succession work together to shape and sustain Bernheim’s diverse plant communities.
The hike meets at the Garden Pavilion and follows the Sun and Shade Loop and Big Prairie, covering approximately 1.25 miles with discussion stops along the way. Sign up today!
