The Facts
On October 22, 2026, the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) announced the acquisition of "Soil Horizon(Cleveland)," a site-specific commissioned work by artist Teresita Fernández. The work comprises two large-scale glazed ceramic wall murals composed of thousands of tiny square ceramic tesserae that shift in appearance as visitors move. It will be installed in the Jane and Jon Outcalt Family Concourse, connecting the Horace Kelley Art Foundation North Lobby with the Ames Family Atrium, beginning in February 2027. The commission completes a 2024 transformation of the lobby space designed by Marcel Breuer, and the work will be the first artwork encountered by visitors. Imagery is inspired by Ohio landscapes and the museum's collection, and the title references geological soil horizons.
The Signal
The acquisition signals CMA's continued investment in site-specific contemporary works that engage directly with its Breuer architecture. For collectors, Fernández's market is bolstered by her 2005 MacArthur Fellowship and institutional presence at MoMA, the Whitney, and other major museums; this commission reinforces her exploration of landscape and materiality. The placement at a prominent encyclopedic museum entrance underscores a trend among institutions to commission large-scale works that shape the initial visitor experience and dialogue with modernist structures.
- Artists: Teresita Fernández
- People: Teresita Fernández, Nadiah Rivera Fellah
- Museums: Cleveland Museum of Art
- Locations: Cleveland
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