Beyond the Gallery Walls: Sculpture as a New Aesthetic

In the ever-evolving landscape of art, sculpture is a dynamic force, now transcending traditional boundaries and embracing a realm of innovation and exploration. As ancient as the tradition of sculpture may be, historically made of marble, by the 20th century, sculpture has been made and seen very differently. From the bustling streets of urban centres to the tranquil embrace of natural landscapes, now seen outside of the museum’s walls with new textural and fresh materials, it brought a whole new viewer to its world. Find out more in Beyond the Gallery Walls: Sculpture as a New Aesthetic

Picture on left-hand side Sculpture in the Park- Perceval, Sarah Lucas. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley

What potentially pops into your head when you think of sculpture? Would you think of a classical statue in marble like Michael Angelo’s David standing cool and aloof in a museum? But it was the 20th century that turned the tables on this visual.

‘David’ by Michelangelo

Gone are the days of rigid adherence to conventional materials; today’s sculptors delight in the diversity of mediums, breathing life into creations crafted from plastic, recycled materials, and even living organisms. As some newer artists weave their narratives through unconventional materials, they invite us to ponder the profound connections between art and our environment.

It is not just the materials that have undergone a metamorphosis; the advent of digital technology has ushered in a new era of sculptural innovation. With the precision of 3D printing and the boundless possibilities of digital designs and AL technologies, artists are pushing the boundaries of creativity, blurring the lines between the virtual and the tangible.

In the heart of this artistic revolution lie the organic forms inspired by the natural world. Like living, breathing organisms, these sculptures seem to pulsate with life, their forms undulating and proliferating in a mesmerizing display of movement and transformation. As viewers are drawn into their ethereal embrace, they are invited to explore the mysteries of the natural world and the ever-changing rhythms of existence.

But perhaps the most captivating aspect of contemporary sculpture lies in its newfound freedom from the confines of traditional exhibition spaces. No longer confined to the sterile walls of galleries, sculptures now find their homes in parks, gardens, and public spaces, inviting audiences to engage with art in a more immersive and accessible manner.

As March 2024 approaches, the UK’s art scene braces for a spectacular act; the Sculpture in the Park exhibition at Compton Verney, the When Forms Come Alive exhibition at the Hayward Gallery and The Future is Female at the Garrison Chapel.

Nestled in the scenic embrace of Compton Verney, parish and historic manor, the new Sculpture in the Park reinvents a Georgian setting with the additions of modern and contemporary sculptures, prompting introspection on themes of belonging, kinship, and equality.

The art installations at Compton Verney feature diverse sculptures by renowned artists, each offering unique perspectives and materials. The brief for the team at the site was to have a collection of pieces that ‘spoke’ to the history and modernity of the unique location.

Some looked to the past others to the future some with intrigue, irony and some with downright humour. The eclectic collection brings a multitude of thoughts and ideas to those who visit.

Permindar Kaur’s Overgrown House utilizes black galvanized steel to craft a whimsical yet thought-provoking structure resembling an overgrown house. Very much about the situation, as in order to put the piece in place the earth needed to be cleared, but as the pieces sit the surrounding gardens and grasses will naturally grow and encase the pieces giving a new visual every few days and weeks.

Erika Verzutti was born in São Paulo studied industrial design at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo and continued her postgraduate studies in art at Goldsmiths College, London. Verzutti’s drawings, paintings, and sculptures represent the denizens of alternative worlds located somewhere between the real and the fantastic. Her work is characterized by the use of vernacular materials and the incorporation of “accidents”, scratches, breaks, and stains, that result in disturbing yet familiar effects.

Sculpture in the Park- Naked Venus, Erika Verzutti. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley.

Her piece Naked Venus stands as a powerful symbol, made of materials referencing her Venus series that looks to reclaim the female gaze. This towering phallic stack is the only piece in the show commissioned especially for this event.

Louise Bourgeois is one of the great figures of modern and contemporary art. She is best known for her large-scale sculptures and installations that are inspired by her own memories and experiences.

Sculpture in the Park- Louise Bourgeois, Spider. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley. Louise Bourgeois’s art is © The Easton Foundation/DACS, London.

In 1947 Louise Bourgeois drew two small ink and charcoal drawings of a spider. Fifty years later in the late 1990s, she created a series of steel and bronze spider sculptures. Here Spider captivates as it is positioned literally in the garden area where viewers can walk through and stand by (but not touch) creating a visceral experience with the artwork.

The British sculptor, photographer and installation artist Helen Chadwick’s Piss Flowers is a work made up of twelve sculptures that were made when she and her partner, David travelled to different locations, made mounds of snow and laid out a flower-shaped metal cutter.

Sculpture in the Park- Pissflowers, Helen Chadwick. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley.

They would take turns to urinate in the snow and then pour plaster into the cavities. These casts were attached to pedestals that were based on a hyacinth bulb. Here they sit prettily by the front of the house becoming at odds in a way once the story behind the works is known

Augustas Serapinas’s Standtune pays homage to ancient techniques and local wood in its reimagined fencing structure. Looking back at old techniques and reimagining them. Larry Achiampong’s Relic Traveller: Phase features flags adorned with 54 stars representing African countries, embodying narratives of migration and identity.

Sculpture in the Park- Standtune, Augustas Serapinas. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley.

At the back of the formal garden area sits Sarah Lucas’s Perceval a life-size bronze horse and cart, with cast concrete marrows symbolizing fertility. The large-scale replica of a traditional kitsch china ornament, of the kind that took pride of place on many British mantelpieces forty years ago.

A very large version of this Clydesdale horse and cart is powerful and majestic to view and almost life like that from the distance, it seems as though it belongs in the setting.

The proudly fashioned cart houses two cast concrete marrows: off-scale symbols of phallic fertility. These giant vegetables are cast in cement, moving the knick-knack replica away from the realm of kitsch, and offsetting the smooth finish of the bronze with a rugged and contingent quality.

Titled after a Knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, Perceval reflects a fascination for Englishness evident in much of Lucas’s work, becoming an object for public display that is generous, democratic, familiar and accessible.

Nicolas Deshayes’s Fountains comprises large cast aluminium forms on a custom-built basin, evoking the site’s historical context. It sits where a fountain may well have sat long ago.

Sculpture in the Park- Fountains, Nicolas Deshayes. © Compton Verney. Photo by Jamie Woodley.

The bulbous erotic shapes seem to almost flirt with each other and become even more suggestive when water gushes out. But the work references the waste that litter our cities as it mingles with drains, pipes, and other urban facilities.

Over at the Hayward Gallery, When Forms Come Alive invites viewers on a vibrant journey through six decades of contemporary sculpture. Curated by Ralph Rugoff, the exhibition showcases the work of 21 international artists, each exploring the themes of movement, flux, and organic growth.

“When Forms Come Alive” presents a dynamic array of sculptures that challenge traditional notions of form and materiality. Jean-Luc Moulène’s knot-like constructions defy conventional volumes, crafted from surfaces with ambiguous interiors and exteriors.

Installation view of Teresa Solar Abboud

Teresa Solar Abboud’s vibrant sculptures merge naturalism with surrealism, embodying an enigmatic, dynamic essence. Tara Donovan’s intricate installation evokes a sprawling molecular constellation.

Installation View of Tara Donovan

Lynda Benglis and Senga Nengudi’s sculptures from the 1960s and 1970s highlight transience and transformation. Phyllida Barlow and Nairy Baghramian’s works embrace anti-monumentalism with deliberately awkward forms.

Installation View of Lynda Benglis

Franz West, Olaf Brzeski, and Matthew Ronay play with the abject, comedic, and absurd, using unexpected bulges and curves. EJ Hill’s neon sculpture invokes radical motion and Black joy. Ruth Asawa’s wire sculptures suspend spherical forms within hourglass shapes, while DRIFT’s kinetic Shylights mimic the motion of closing flowers.

Installation View of EJ Hill

Marguerite Humeau’s multimedia sculptures draw inspiration from organic forms like mushrooms and honeycombs, exploring themes of metamorphosis and adaptation. Each artist utilizes diverse materials such as wire, silk, and multimedia to bring their visions to life, engaging viewers in a dialogue of movement and transformation.

Installation View of Marguerite Humeau

The Future is Female is set to take place at London’s historic Chelsea Barracks, specifically in the Garrison Chapel, a Grade II-listed chapel that was once exclusive to men until its deconsecration.

‘Tutti-Frutti’ by Charlotte Colbert

The exhibition features over 40 works by leading contemporary female sculptors, including artists such as Charlotte Colbert, Nicole Farhi, and Eve de Haan. The all-female curated and managed exhibition aims to challenge gender bias in the art world by celebrating the diversity within contemporary female sculpture and addressing the challenges faced by female creators.

‘Mother and Child Courtesy’ by Charlotte Colbert

The location itself, formerly a male-only space, adds symbolic significance to the showcase, highlighting the ongoing efforts to recognize and promote women’s contributions in the art industry.

The exhibited artworks, ranging from traditional to experimental, explore themes of empowerment, representation, identity, and societal issues, contributing to a fresh and bold perspective on the role of women in sculpture.

‘Jeux de Mains’ by Nicole Farhi

In a world where our encounters are increasingly digitized and disembodied, these sculptures serve as emissaries for tactile, emotive engagement.

Contemporary sculpture, a vibrant and evolving art form, transcends boundaries, defies expectations, and invites us to reconsider our understanding of art’s place in society, and its physical placement.

To Know more about Sculpture in the Park at Compton Verdy here and When Forms Come Alive at the ?here.

If you enjoy reading Beyond the Gallery Walls: Sculpture as a New Aesthetic why not read Immersive Canvases: Living Within the Brushstrokes of the World Around.

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