Partially Buried Woodshed

The Partially Buried Woodshed is a land art sculpture at Kent State University where an old wooden shed was covered with earth in the late 1960s. The central beam fractured under the weight in 1970, creating a dramatic visual break in the composition.

The sculpture was created in the late 1960s as a concept piece exploring physical transformation. Following the tragic shooting at Kent State in May 1970, the broken beam became marked with words that gave it unintended memorial significance.

The work explores themes of natural decay and how materials break down over time when exposed to the elements. Visitors can observe directly how this process unfolds on the remaining structure.

The work is located near the Liquid Crystal Institute on the southeastern edge of the campus. A concrete foundation and an explanatory plaque mark the site for visitors to understand what they are viewing.

The university removed all remaining wooden elements in 1984 following a serious fire and other destructive incidents on the site. What remains today is a ghostly impression of the original concept rather than the full structure.