Meg Webster’s Solar Grow Room at The Aldrich: A Living Sculpture Rooted in Sustainability and Connection
At The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, artist Meg Webster’s Solar Grow Room with Facing Seats (2024) is not just an installation—it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. Part of the group exhibition A Garden of Promise and Dissent, this site-specific sculpture invites visitors to engage with nature in an unexpected setting: within the Museum itself.
The Solar Grow Room features wooden planters, seating for two, grow lights, and solar panels. Positioned on the Museum’s façade, the off-grid solar energy system powers the growth of flowering plants and vegetables, forging a direct link between the natural world and the built environment. The carefully arranged seating encourages quiet contemplation and connection, while the planters—suspended above each visitor—offer a playful yet thought-provoking inversion of the Earth’s natural order.
“Since its installation, our staff has worked together to care for the garden, regularly watering, misting, and removing debris," the Aldrich shared on social media. The photo (courtesy of the Aldrich) shows Holly Hart, Head of Membership and Events, performing her weekly maintenance of Webster’s Solar Grow Room.
The exhibition includes works by Terry Adkins, Kelly Akashi, Teresa Baker, Alina Bliumis, Carolina Caycedo, Carl Cheng, Rachelle Dang, Anders Hamilton, Maren Hassinger, Hugh Hayden, Max Hooper Schneider, Athena LaTocha, Gracelee Lawrence, Cathy Lu, Jill Magid, Suchitra Mattai, Mary Mattingly, Brandon Ndife, Faith Wilding, Rachel Youn, and Meg Webster.
Learn more about this incredible exhibit (and head to the Aldrich to experience it) https://thealdrich.org/exhibitions/a-garden-of-promise-and-dissent