MassArt alum and staff member, Clint Baclawski, MFA ’08 Photography, shares his experience showing his art abroad and exploring Amsterdam with family.
Written by Clint Baclawski
This summer, I had the opportunity to travel with my wife and son to the Netherlands, where I exhibited my piece Departure at Museum Belvédère as part of the Noorderlicht International Photography Biennial, Machine Entanglements. The show explores how technology and climate shape our experience of nature, and it was an incredible honor to have my work included alongside artists from around the world.
Nestled in the rural, forested landscape of Oranjewoud in the northern Netherlands, Museum Belvédère is a beautifully designed space—its light-filled contemporary wing surrounded by wildflowers and greenery. It was the perfect setting to debut Departure, my first motorized scroll-based installation and the first piece from this new body of work to be shown internationally.
Shot on large-format film in the Grand Tetons, Departure scrolls continuously through five distinct stages: starting with a full-color image of a pristine mountain landscape, the piece slowly transitions to a black-and-white negative, and then to a red-saturated, sunburned version of the same scene. What begins as a calm, idyllic view gradually transforms into a ghostly afterimage and, ultimately, a scorched vision that evokes the unsettling effects of climate change.
While my initial goal was to exhibit in a museum setting, I had not anticipated that the opportunity would come through participation in an international biennial. The added context of Machine Entanglements, with its global scope, curatorial vision, and diverse cohort of artists, deepened the significance of the experience. It prompted me to reflect more critically on how my work engages with broader conversations around the environment, technological systems, and visual representation.
Departure, 2022, Clint Baclawski, MFA ’08 Photography. Artwork courtesy of the artist. Photo courtesy of Hanne van der Velde. clintbaclawski.com
Clint, Tasha, and Cohen Baclawski.
Sharing the trip with my wife and son made it even more special. So much of my studio practice is solitary—full of long hours, fabrication, and experimentation. But exploring bike paths, navigating cultural nuances, and discovering stroopwafels together brought a kind of balance I often miss amid the demands of exhibition prep. Watching my son explore a new country, try unfamiliar foods, and experience a museum show that included his dad’s artwork is a memory I’ll always carry. It reminded me that art, like family, is about presence, process, and continuity.
I’m deeply grateful for the experience: to exhibit new work in a stunning international setting, to share that moment with my family, and to return home with fresh energy for what’s ahead. Being part of Machine Entanglements affirmed for me the power of artistic exchange and the importance of looking outward, even while creating work grounded in personal terrain. Special thanks to Noorderlicht, curators Roosje Klap and Rosa Wevers, and logistics coordinator Jedidja Smalbil for their generous support. And to everyone who cheered from afar—thank you. Here’s to what comes next, and to keeping the scrolls turning.
Clint Baclawski, MFA ‘08 Photography, is Associate Director of MassArt’s Print Lab. He is a contemporary artist whose work bridges photography, light, and technology to create immersive environments that challenge perception and redefine space.
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