New Exhibit: Exploring the Ground of Being, by Michael Headrick

Introduction

Exploring the Ground of Being depicts Michael Headrick’s personal and community process at Teachers College, Columbia University. The exhibition is as much an artistic exploration of ceramic materials, as it is a symbolic exploration of  the unconscious. Michael Headrick presents work that stems from dreams, synchronicities, fantasies and intuitions; and the operations taken through the various iterations in ceramic material. The work engages personal material that links the artist to the collective. 

Artist Statement

"My personal art practice in ceramics has been a constant companion with my work in psychology and my exploration of depth psychology: dreams, imagination, serendipity and the unconscious. I explore my own psychic material through the lens of making: in ceramics, painting and sculpture. My degree at Teachers College has been a pivotal experience in refining both my practice and my exploration of psychic material: exploring Jungian theory, analyzing the development of my own creative process, and developing a dream group research approach with ceramics making. 

My personal discovery is that the engagement of the unconscious through a process of clay leads to transformation. The ground of personal being is no longer the same after the process of making. And the physical ground on which all of this work happens (the Teachers College campus) shared with other artists, psychologists, administrators and academics is also changed. Practicing in a shared community studio changes both the artist and the work. Woven throughout this show is the implicit and explicit engagement with this surrounding community. Exemplifying this exploration of potential transformation within the community, this exhibition incorporates ceramic pieces created by participants from a dream group process that was conducted over the course of 2025. I invited participants to share their dreams and respond to these dreams through clay. Both the personal work in this exhibition as well as the works of these participants hold emotional and symbolic resonance, embodying the inner ground of being into a physical reality."

Bio

Michael Headrick is an educated architect and technologist, who now focuses on research in psychology and ceramics. His practice focuses on bringing the unconscious or immaterial into physical form. Working with materials like clay, plaster and cement to create three-dimensional sculptural and functional objects led to a primary focus on work in ceramics: a practice that engages many permutations, iterations and processes before arriving at its final form. Deeply connected to this physical process, Michael seeks to express the movement of the inner life in a physical way. Michael, who also works at Teachers College, is pursuing a Masters of Arts in Psychology, and previously earned a B.A. in Architectural Studies at The University of Hong Kong. Michael also serves on the board of directors for CO-RESIDENCY, a fully digital Art Residency program.

When:  November 14, 2025  - January 5, 2026

Where:  Offit Gallery

Exhibition Opening:  Wednesday, 11/19, 5:30-7pm 

Meet the Artist, Talk, and Tour:  Thursday, 12/11, 3-4pm

Poster Image: Monster Family Emerging, by Michael Headrick, Courtesy of the Artist.