Now open in the lobby of the MIT Museum, well-known textile artist Janet Echelman has unveiled a powerful new public art installation that bridges art, science, and climate research. Titled Remembering the Future, the 35-foot suspended sculpture transforms complex data into a luminous, immersive experience—visible by day and glowing at night—that invites reflection on Earth’s past, present, and possible futures.
The site-specific work is the culmination of three years of research and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through its flowing form, the installation gives sculptural expression to Earth’s climate history, tracing a timeline from the last ice age to the present moment. From there, the piece branches outward, visualizing multiple potential climate futures and emphasizing the choices that shape what lies ahead.
Remembering the Future takes its name from a text commonly attributed to Søren Kierkegaard: “The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly the one you’ll never have.” This poignant reference underscores the installation’s emotional resonance, urging viewers to consider both loss and possibility.
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Click here to learn more about Remembering the Future, or check out Janet Echelman's CODAaward-winning project Dream Catcher.
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