Question: What could be better than seeing a high quality, diverse, eclectic collection of sculpture?
Answer: Seeing such a collection outdoors, against a backdrop of trees and lake.
These are just a few of the sculptures to be seen in the wonderful Sculpture Garden of the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.
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| Rick Amor - The dog 2003 (Bronze) |
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Clement Meadmore - Virginia 1970
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This sculpture is massive. I quite like this rather strange, surreal view of a bit of it.
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| Bert Flugelman - Cones 1982. |
Cones is made of polished stainless steel. I could spend ages looking at this, exploring different views.
I'm not normally into selfies, but in this case found it irresistible.
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| Emil-Antoine Bourdelle - Penelope 1912 |
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| Aristide Maillol - The mountain 1937 |
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| Auguste Rodin - nude studies for The burghers of Calais 1885-86 |
Rodin was important in the development of modern French sculpture and also for his quotes. Here are two of my favourites:
Patience is also a form of action and
The nude alone is well dressed.
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| Gaston Lachaise - Floating figure 1927 |
The setting of this sculpture over the water is just perfect.
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| Fujiko Nakaya - Fog sculpture 1976 |
What a contrast to all the heavy solid sculptures! This one is made of water vapour. It makes rather ordinary plantings look misty, mysterious and delicate.
Nakaya is a Japanese artist, the first to work with fog as a sculptural medium.
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| Henry Moore - Hill arches 1973 |
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| Robert Stackhouse - On the beach again 1984 |
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| Dadang Christanto - Heads from the North 2004 |
Heads from the North is a memorial to those affected by events following an unsuccessful military coup in Indonesia in 1965. The artist himself was an innocent victim in the mass killings. When he was 8 his father was among the many who disappeared at the time. Barely holding their heads above water, the 66 sculptures signify lives lost and ravaged at this time.
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| Richard Stankiewicz - Australia No. 15 |
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| Tiwi people, Australia - Pukumani tutini (Funeral posts) 1979, 1984 |
Pukumani poles have great significance in Tiwi culture. They ensure that the spirit of the deceased is released from the body into the spirit world. The word
pukumani means
taboo or
dangerous in the Tiwi language.
It is a brilliant place isn't it? You have featured some of my favourite gems from the garden (and some of the same ones I featured in a post about it). Some day I will go to the fog garden at sun-rise. Some day.
ReplyDeleteHi EC, I read your post and enjoyed it. We both had similar reactions and as you say, chose some of the same exhibits. The fog garden at sun rise would be eerily mysterious and make for special photos. I do love visiting Canberra.
DeleteIt's an impressive collection. I can understand your attraction to Cones. Heads from the North may be the most evocative memorial I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you liked seeing the collection too, Kris.
DeleteThe two I liked best were Cones and Heads from the North.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, me too, I think, and the fog sculpture but that is different.
Deletethe lady of the lake, levitating so effortlessly!
ReplyDeletethat comment is very poetic , Diana.
DeleteThank you for the tour of a faraway place. I enjoyed all the sculptures and the trees beyond them all. One thing though from that angle The Dog looks more like a rat--the giant rat of Sumatra?
ReplyDeleteLucky dogs can't read - I think they'd be quite offended! (lol)
DeleteFascinating sculptures -- of so many unique and different subjects and styles. The fog as a sculptural element is captivating! For some reason, the work with the three men has me curious--are they three priests? Thanks for sharing this. If I ever make it to Canberra, I'll know one highlight to seek out.
ReplyDeleteOh, I see that it's a cast of the Burghers of Calais. How interesting and powerful.
DeleteIt did seem funny to see Rodin so far from home.
DeleteGreat reflections in 'Cones' adding new perspectives to the surrounding bush.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, yes - the setting was enhanced, and also it was a bit weird.
DeleteI find the Heads from the North harrowing. So sad.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think of all the refugees now still dying at sea.
DeleteHappy New Year! I've been to Canberra but i've not seen the sculpture garden. Oh it is amazing to see those heads above water. I bet this park is so wide. I smiled at the idea of sculpture gardening, hehe. My post however is Gardening for Butterflies.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, you'll have to come back to Canberra now. Happy new year, so pleased to 'see' you again.
DeleteHi, catmint!
ReplyDeleteI loved the sculptures, they are interesting and go well with nature. The cones are really nice, I'd like to see them too. The Heads from the North are very unusual, get me think and watch.
Thanks for virtual tour!
Hi Nadezda, I'm pleased you enjoyed the tour.
DeleteI am sure this was a wonderful place to visit and I would have enjoyed it very much. I was in Canberra for a couple of weeks in 1999 and somehow missed this exhibit - or perhaps the sculpture garden has been created since then. The City of Toronto has some Henry Moore art outside the City Hall and I recognized that flowing form immediately. I remember well the controversy over spending the money on such items at the time, but thank goodness the city planners did not cave in to the Philistines.
ReplyDeleteHi David, I've never been to Toronto but my impression is that it is generally more progressive than Philistine.
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