here-ing

A participatory art experience at the KU Field Station




ABOUT

here-ing is a walking labyrinth in the shape of the anatomy of the human ear and created by artist Janine Antoni. At the heart of the project is an invitation for the public to return to their bodies through intimately relating to the land.

“Walking the circuitous path gives us an opportunity to slow down, arrive in our bodies, and enter a receptive state. As we continue to draw the ear with our steps, we listen more deeply.” – Janine Antoni

The 2-mile roundtrip path takes about 1 hour to walk. Elevation change is minimal, but the path is not ADA accessible. We recommend wearing closed-toe shoes with long pants tucked into socks. Bug spray can help avoid ticks. Hats, sunscreen, and water are highly encouraged.


VISIT

You can explore here-ing for free on any day between sunrise and sunset. It is located adjacent to the Roth Trailhead at the KU Field Station. Find here-ing on Google Maps.

From US-24/US-40 near the Lawrence Airport, take East 1600 Road north for three miles. The Roth Trailhead at the Suzanne Ecke McColl Nature Reserve is on the west side of the road.



PROJECT HISTORY

The Spencer Museum commissioned Janine Antoni to create a public artwork at the University of Kansas. The resulting project is a partnership that includes the Spencer Museum, the Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, and the DesignBuild Studio in KU’s School of Architecture.

> March 2022: With guidance from KU Field Station staff, Antoni and community members assisted with a prescribed prairie burn to prepare the site for here-ing. This was the first of several efforts to create a healthier grassland.

> August–October 2022: Antoni worked with students in KU Professor Keith Van de Riet’s design-build class to survey and mark a grid in the field. The grid was then used to lay out the labyrinth’s design of the outer ear. We then welcomed visitors to begin walking the path into the land.

> March 2023, Melinda Adams, who belongs to the N’dee San Carlos Apache Tribe and is assistant professor in Indigenous environmental studies at KU, led a cultural burn of the here-ing field assisted by students and tribal members. The project team then gridded the next extension of the labyrinth’s path to include the shape of the inner ear.

> June 2023: The project team gridded the central field to include the shape of the middle ear, completing the entirety of the path.

> September 2023: Two large boulders were placed at the entrance of the labyrinth and Karl Ramberg carved a finger labyrinth that mirrors the shape of the walking labyrinth, giving the participants an overview as well as an experience for those who cannot access the path.



UPCOMING EVENTS

To Grow an Artwork

Tuesday, October 3 | 5:30PM – 7PM | Kansas Union, Mallott Room, 1301 Jayhawk Blvd

Artist Janine Antoni and Professor of the Arts Carol Becker (Columbia University) discuss the creation of here-ing and its significance to cultural and environmental dialogues.

Sponsored By: Spencer Museum of Art, Kress Foundation Department of Art History, Department of Visual Art

 

Communing with the Land: How the Arts, Ecology, and Architecture Meet Along the Path

Thursday, October 5 | 6PM – 7PM | Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 804 Massachusetts St.

Learn more about the process of creating here-ing, with the artist and presenters Melinda Adams (KU Geography & Atmospheric Science and Indigenous Studies), Joey Orr (Spencer Museum of Art), Sheena Parsons (KU Field Station), and Keith Van de Riet (KU School of Architecture & Design).

 

In Honor of the Land

Friday, October 6 | 5PM – 7PM | Roth Trailhead, KU Field Station, E 1600 Rd

Sunday, October 8 | 1PM – 3PM | Roth Trailhead, KU Field Station, E 1600 Rd

Join Janine Antoni and other project members for two days of immersive experiences at here-ing, featuring music, poetry, movement, stone carving, ecology, and more. The 2-mile roundtrip path takes about 1 hour to walk. Elevation change is minimal, but the path is not ADA accessible. We recommend wearing closed-toe shoes with long pants tucked into socks. Bug spray can help avoid ticks. Hats, sunscreen, and water are highly encouraged.