About Of the Earth
by Olga Ziemska
Exhibition Overview
Opening & Duration
Artist & Theme
Ziemska’s “Of the Earth” exhibition debuted on June 10, 2025, drawing over 150 attendees, including members of the Detroit Lakes Chamber, for its ribbon-cutting and guided tour. Each sculpture reveals itself in sequence along the path—Hear: With an Ear to the Ground is first, followed by Strata, and finally the commanding presence of Ona is visible in the distance. A fourth sculpture is scheduled to arrive in spring 2026.
Sculptures & Placement
The exhibition unfolds across the 50-acre park along a meandering trail. Click each image to read more.
Hear: With an Ear to the Ground
A human head modestly pressed to earth, covered in white river stones, symbolizing deep listening to the planet.
Strata
A reclining form built with gabion structures filled with layered river rocks. It evokes geological time and invites interaction.
Ona
This striking figure has a cascade of branches as flowing hair. Her mirrored eyes reflect the viewer and the surroundings.
Community Engagement & Site Development
Volunteer & Environmental Efforts
More than 100 volunteers contributed 550-700 hours to help gather materials and plant throughout the park, including 7,000 zinnias already in bloom—part of a larger planting plan that could reach 100,000 native flowers, shrubs, and trees.
Site Background
The exhibition is part of the broader development of Ortenstone Gardens & Sculpture Park, a 50-acre community park designed for recreation, art, trails, and nature appreciation, operated in partnership with Project 412.
Why It Matters
"Of the Earth" is a living dialogue of art, nature, and community.
- It transforms the landscape into both canvas and companion—inviting visitors to physically explore, reflect, and connect with the land.
- It demonstrates how art can be rooted in community, involving volunteers and local ecosystems in its creation.
- The exhibition elevates Ortenstone as a cultural and ecological destination—one that continues to grow with a forthcoming permanent work set for spring 2026.
About the Artist
Olga Ziemska
Known for her poetic and large-scale site-specific sculptures, Ziemska brings a powerful voice to the global dialogue on art, ecology, and our connection to the natural world.
Ziemska’s work explores the relationship between humanity and nature, challenging viewers to reconsider their place within an interconnected system. Her sculptures dissolve the boundary between body and environment, drawing on themes of ecology, biophilia, panpsychism, materiality, and identity.
