Maryland State Wire

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has unveiled a new exhibition titled "Malcolm Peacock: a signal, a sprout," as part of its initiative "Turn Again to the Earth." This program examines the relationship between art and the environment. The exhibition, running from March 19 through August 2025, features an installation by Malcolm Peacock, an artist based in New York who spent his formative years in Baltimore.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is an 8-foot tall and wide tree-like form inspired by ancient redwood trees that Peacock encountered during marathon training in the Pacific Northwest. Covered with thousands of strands of hand-braided synthetic hair, this creation represents both endurance and care. Asma Naeem, BMA’s Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director, stated that “Malcolm’s installation is a thought-provoking meditation on the emotional, spiritual, and physical power of nature.” She added that it offers a dialogue about access to nature as a universal healing space.

Peacock created this work reflecting on his experiences in the redwood forest after returning to city life. He meditated on how ideas of landscape relate or do not relate to Black people in the United States. The artist sees braiding hair as an act connecting deeply with nature's interconnected systems. His work also incorporates pages from "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and "A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass," alongside audio recordings capturing sounds from his life.

This sculpture was developed during Peacock's residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem under the title "Five of them were hers and she carved shelters with windows into the backs of their skulls." It debuted at MoMA PS1 before arriving in Baltimore. This marks Peacock's first solo museum exhibition; his previous work was displayed at BMA when he was a student.

The exhibition is co-curated by Kevin Tervala and Cecilia Wichmann from BMA. Contributions came from Yelena Keller, Jody Graf, Adria Gunter among others for its earlier presentation at MoMA PS1. Support for this project was provided by studio assistants and Sibyl Gallery.

Founded in 1914, BMA hosts over 97,000 objects spanning various cultures and eras. Known for its extensive Henri Matisse collection and contemporary works by diverse artists, it is located near Johns Hopkins University with free general admission to all visitors.