Sunday, July 10, was the last day to catch Heidi Lau’s Gardens as Cosmic Terrains at Green-Wood Cemetery’s catacombs. In 2021, Lau was selected out of 964 submissions to be Green-Wood’s first ever artist-in-residence in the cemetery’s 184 year history. She created her site-specific ceramic works at the cemetery’s beautiful, landmarked Fort Hamilton Gatehouse and was granted access to the cemetery’s grounds and archives.
Gardens as Cosmic Terrains was inspired by Lau's long walks through Green-Wood’s 478-acres and a Taoist concept of "the convergence of wandering, play, and introspection, which together invite a reawakening of self-knowledge,” she said in a press release for the exhibit. The artist also found inspiration in the “cosmological settings of traditional Chinese gardens, where the arrangement of plantings, pathways, and vistas act as a metaphor for time, space, and our place in the cosmos.”
Her striking ceramic sculptures populate the cavernous catacombs – which are typically closed to the public. Many dangle on disproportionate chains from the circular skylights like mystical spelunkers dropping down from the heavens. Rich in texture and details, some pieces resemble urns and “ritualistic funerary objects” while others feature body parts, faces, hands, and vertebrae.
Lau’s fantastical installation is right at home in Green-Wood’s catacombs, inspiring contemplation on mortality/immortality, spirituality, and universality. Green-Wood Cemetery is a peaceful space for reflection that inspires many visitors. Hopefully Green-Wood will continue its residency program and invite more artists to find inspiration.
Heidi Lau is originally from Macau, China and currently lives and works in New York City. She received her BFA from New York University in 2008, where she focused on printmaking and drawing. She is a self-taught ceramist. See more of her work on Instagram @heidiwtlau and visit green-wood.com to learn more.
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