Located in Hamilton, New Jersey, it's certainly worth a detour from New York City or Philadelphia if you're visiting in either of those cities.
... George Segal ... in black, not white ...
Le dejeuner sur l'herbe ...
... yes, these are sculptures too ...
... not exactly like the original at MOMA ...
... will they fall?
You hesitate to call it a garden? Its fantastic..Kitsch and all!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly popular--throngs of people on the weekends. The purpose, I believe, if to give a good time, entertain (there's even a very good restaurant there called Rat's--located next to Toad Hall), delight, and expose visitors to some more serious sculpture at the same time. The plantings and grounds are very well done and well maintained with care. It does make for a delightful outing.
DeleteStunning. Le dejeuner sur l'herbe ... that one set me back from the Screen. Taking the painting and doing that. Wow. Kerry
ReplyDeleteThe sculptures based on Impressionistic paintings certainly get your attention and draw squeals of delight. There's something about the feel of an old timey circus--a 19th century traveling show of "curiosities"--there.
DeleteA borderline experience for me, James; I find much of it ugly, formulaic. Is that OK, or am I supposed to pretend to love it? I AM, however, glad you've posted this. Its existence, as such, doesn't offend me, and I'm happy people are happy doing what they believe is art. It may well be, but it's not an art that connects very deeply with me - apart from two of the sculptures. You'd need a sense of humour to visit.
ReplyDeleteFaisal, you definitely need to visit with your sense of humor intact. I wonder which of the two sculptures you liked. My favorite is the line of black men by George Segal. Many notable sculptors are represented.
DeleteI loved it - particularly the sculpture in the pond, second photo down.
ReplyDeleteIt's a delightful place, and amazingly well maintained, considering it receives no government funding that I know of.
DeleteVery mixed. The weeping ?hemlock? is lovely, and I also liked the Segal in black, but the paintings brought to life were tacky, or perhaps belong in an urban playground instead. Someone has spent a lot of money. The more formal modernism works for me in the modern/classical gardens, but the postmodern(if one can call it that) fails, perhaps because it need livelier plantings(clashing rhodys, sunflowers, out of control tropical foliage, something...).
ReplyDeleteI think you're referring to the setting of the sculpture of Henri Rousseau's The Dream. Yes, I agree the bamboo doesn't work for that. It wants something more florid and lush. Bad taste, for me, yes, but also a lot of fun. There is definitely a dissonance created with the mixture of the, to my mind, more serious modernist sculptures, but for the most part, they are kept separate from the wild, fun stuff. Many are in garden rooms with concrete and Thuja walls, some of which are quite beautiful. But if you let go of judgment, you can have a fabulous time there--a day full of surprises, jokes, tricks, things that make you smile or laugh outright, that make you yelp with joy and delight.
DeleteA wonderful stroll - I had to share it.
ReplyDeleteAllan
Allen, you'd love it.
DeleteI'll take that lady on the hill with poppies. For the living poppies.
ReplyDeleteNot living. The dot the hillock with artificial flower in bloom, changing with the seasons. This is the only use of artificial flowers that I think appropriate.
DeleteThis is pretty neat--don't let yourself be gardeny-snobby about it. (were you?) I liked being tricked, but I really liked the head in the pond. I want one. The piece after the images of the couple laying on the ground was nice, too, but I tend to favor abstract art, especially in a natural setting.
ReplyDeleteI like that piece too. Rather appropriate multiple phallic sculpture following the sleeping couple don't you think? I love the place, but it's really intended as a landscaped display space for sculpture. They seem to assiduously avoid calling it a garden. Certainly there are some beautiful gardens within it.
DeleteOH WOW! I had no idea such a place existed ... how incredibly magical! That is now on my bucket list. I loved it all (actually I smiled and my jaw was open the whole time), despite the fact that I'm one of those snobby, art historian academic types when I'm not gardening ;c)
ReplyDeleteIt definitely deserved a place on your bucket list. Plan time to spend a whole day there. It you want to eat at Rat's, be sure to make reservations in advance. I'd recommend a weekday visit if possible to avoid weekend crowds. It's a popular place.
DeleteI adore Grounds for Sculpture, Jim, and am so glad you shared your photos of it here. It is just a wonderful, relaxing place to go-- with so many nooks and crannies and surprising treats for the eye that it is both a public and private experience. I love the lightheartedness of the place and the way that plantings and sculpture are intertwined in a whimsical way that just makes me happy:-)
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly hard to walk around with a frown there, Roberta. Before I first visited with my sister last fall, I had envisioned a weedy field with scattered sculptures, not this grandly landscaped, meticulously maintained happy wonder land.
DeleteThis looks like a fun place and may have to go on the agenda for our next trip north, but your own Rosenquist looks more at home in a garden than any of these.
ReplyDeleteLes,
DeleteI think Marc Rosenquist cast our sculpture at a foundry associated with the Grounds for Sculpture. You certainly should put it on your list next time you come up. Lots of fun, serious and corny.
The sleeping couple and related "symbols"...very cool! In fact the whole place you've portrayed is quite the garden-meets-whimsy, something for everyone, it seems. Thanks for sharing one of the countless places to go next trip E.
ReplyDeleteDavid,
DeleteI can't remember whether the "symbolic" sculptures following the couple photos were actually in physical sequence, or whether I put them in that sequence (unconsciously, of course!). If you're in the area, you'll want to see Chanticleer too, but don't miss Grounds for Sculpture.