Frederick Sigfred Franck (1909–2006) was a painter, sculptor, and writer whose artistic life was deeply rooted in spiritual inquiry and contemplative practice. Originally trained as a dental surgeon, he worked with Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Africa for several years, an experience that profoundly shaped his lifelong exploration of human connection, presence, and compassion—recurring themes that also inform his visual work.
Franck created a body of sculpture and drawing that emphasizes simplicity, gesture, and inner awareness rather than formal abstraction or monumentality. His works are held in major collections including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Fogg Art Museum, the Tokyo National Museum, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
One of his most significant artistic achievements is Pacem in Terris (“Peace on Earth”), a sculpture garden he created with his wife, Claske Berndes Franck, on a former grist mill site in Warwick, New York. Opened to the public in 1966, the site evolved into an immersive landscape of more than 70 sculptures dedicated to figures such as Albert Schweitzer, Pope John XXIII, and D.T. Suzuki.
Frederick Franck was one of Omega's renowned teachers. We are honored to hold one of Franck’s rare “Seven Generations” sculpture series, a work that reflects his belief in continuity, interconnection, and the ethical responsibility we carry toward future generations—core ideas that echo through both his artistic and written legacy. Take a walk through the generations. Located next to the Ram Dass Library
Visit frederickfranck.org to learn more about Frederick Franck's work.
Kathleen Laucius
Senior Director of Creative and Art Curator at Omega
