Arts + Literature Laboratory presents All the while, the earth was humming, an MFA thesis exhibition by Paulina King, on view from Tuesday, March 18 to Saturday, April 12, 2025. King is a recipient of the 2025 ALL Prize, awarded to graduating MFA students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
A reception for current exhibitions will be held Friday, April 4, 2025, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
In her exhibition All the while, the earth was humming, Paulina King collaborates with natural phenomena in a series of site-specific installations at the Arts + Literature Laboratory and the UW-Madison Arboretum. These works contribute to a growing body of work cataloguing poignant, ephemeral experiences the artist has had with nature. Inside ALL, a grouping of acrylic forms flutter in response to a wind sensor placed in the arboretum, mimicking the mesmerizing dance of leaves high above. Outside at the arboretum, terracotta vessels capture rainwater to create reflection pools, visually reconstructing the surrounding environment into a mosaic of sky and trees. In both locations, prose highlights the sites of experienced phenomena, inviting the viewer into King’s process. Together, these works ask the viewer to be swayed by the impact of natural phenomena, and be present in experiencing the nuance and beauty around us. Through this reconnection to the physical world, King encourages contemplation of our relationship with our environment and suggests a more symbiotic existence on earth.
