At Josephine Sculpture Park, art and nature blend into one.
The Frankfort park is home to more than 70 large-scale contemporary sculptures scattered about the meadows and forest of a former farm. While known for its sculptures, the park is now making a foray into a different artistic medium with its exhibition “Linda Bruckheimer: Lost and Found Farmscapes.”
The two-year exhibition offers a window into the farmlands of Kentucky, photographed by Bruckheimer, a Kentucky native whose passions and creativity fall into multiple spheres — writing, photography, historic preservation.
“Lost and Found Farmscapes” captures the land and structures that represent the distinct character and emotions of farmlands core Kentucky’s identity, economy and history, founding director Melanie VanHouten said.
Josephine Sculpture Park is staged on her grandparents’ former farm. To her, the exhibition is an ode to her family’s land, where she made timeless memories and developed a love for the outdoors — experiences she hopes others can take away from the park.
In a park dominated by sculptures, Bruckheimer’s exhibition represents a new creative frontier. Murals can be found painted on the walls of some of the park’s buildings, but the park has never tried its hand with photography exhibits, VanHouten said.
VanHouten had come across Bruckheimer’s work before, much of which focuses on farms, and knew it resonated with her. Knowing the artist’s connection to Kentucky and relevant visual themes, VanHouten approached Bruckheimer with the idea of displaying her work at the park.
The exhibition consists of 10 images taken on farms across Kentucky that are printed onto 4-by-6 foot panels and mounted on the exterior of a historic barn that now serves as the park’s event space, VanHouten said. She describes the experience of viewing Bruckheimer’s works as “looking into the outside.”
VanHouten said she hopes the exhibition reminds guests to appreciate the natural beauty of Kentucky’s “disappearing rural landscapes.”
“I really wanted to share the experiences that that I had when I grew up out there, which was really full of wonder and was very exploratory,” VanHouten said. “I just was on a mission every day to find some cool new thing out on the land.”
The exhibition kicked off with a preview party May 9 for park members, which included an appearance by Bruckheimer and live music. The general public can see the exhibition for free starting May 10 through Spring 2027.
Josephine Sculpture Park opened in 2009 and features dozens of sculptures, some permanent and others rotating.
VanHouten, a trained sculptor, first encountered the concept of a sculpture park while working toward her master’s of fine arts at the University of Minnesota.
She was riveted by how the concept intersected art and nature and provided a unique way to engage with the outdoors, inspiring her to give the idea a spin on her family’s land in Kentucky.
The park has grown since, with a mission of conservation and using art to foster an appreciation of nature.
The park is open dawn to dusk every day and hosts programming like live music, art festivals and artists-in-residence.
Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.
