FIRST U.S. CAREER RETROSPECTIVE OF LEADING INTERNATIONAL SCULPTOR JAUME PLENSA

Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism Runs Oct. 24, 2025 through March 15, 2026

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will host the exhibition Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism, the first career retrospective in the United States dedicated to the internationally acclaimed Catalan artist. This major exhibition will be held Oct. 24, 2025 through March 15, 2026 in Meijer Gardens’ indoor sculpture galleries and on the Stuart and Barbara Padnos Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

Known globally for his evocative exploration of the human form and spirit, Jaume Plensa and his work have become deeply associated with Meijer Gardens since his sculpture I, you, she or he... entered the Sculpture Park in 2006 and the 2021 unveiling of Utopia, his iconic marble room installation in the Welcome Center’s Garden Pavilion. This landmark exhibition builds upon that connection, offering an expansive view of Plensa’s creative journey across four decades.

Featuring works in metal, stone, resin, light, mixed media, and collage, Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism examines themes central to his artistic vision: inner life and imagination, individual dignity and collective harmony, and the profound value of human rights. Whether monumental or intimate in scale, each work invites viewers to consider what it means to be human in an increasingly complex world.

“Jaume Plensa’s art speaks to the poetry and potential of the human condition,” said Suzanne Ramljak, Vice President of Collections & Curatorial Affairs. “His humanist vision reminds us of the endless capacity to transform our experience, both personal and social, through the power of imagination.”

The exhibition includes major installation works such as Talking Continents (2013), Silhouettes (2011–12), and Forgotten Dreams (2020), the latter inscribed with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These pieces, alongside works on paper and smaller figurative studies, highlight Plensa’s commitment to a contemporary humanist vision—one that acknowledges our differences while affirming our shared potential.

Exhibition Catalogue

Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism will be accompanied by an exhibition catalogue published by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. The publication will feature an introductory essay by curator Suzanne Ramljak, surveying Plensa’s commitment to humanist values; an essay by Dr. Henry Luttikhuizen on Plensa’s ties to Renaissance thought and the use of language in his art; and an extensive interview with Ramljak and Plensa exploring the artist’s core ideas and aspirations that have shaped his art over four decades.

To celebrate the opening, Meijer Gardens will host a special Member Opening on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m., featuring introductory remarks by Ramljak and a conversation with Jaume Plensa, followed by an exclusive preview of the exhibition. Additional programming includes Behind the Eyes: A Curator’s Tour with Ramljak on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. in the interior sculpture galleries.

Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism is organized by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and will travel to the Denver Art Museum, where it will be shown from April 18 – Sept. 6, 2026.

For more programming and information about Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism, visit MeijerGardens.org/Plensa