Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

“Civitas” [1988] - Audrey Flack (left) and “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh (right)
Civitas [1988] - Audrey Flack Karma [2011] - Do-Ho Suh

“Monumental Head of Jean d'Aire” from “The Burghers of Calais” [1884-86, enlarged 1901-10] - Auguste Rodin (left) and “Overflow” [2005] - Jaume Plensa (right)

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is adjacent to the Museum (NOMA) in City Park, New Orleans. Admission is free. We were surprised by how much we liked this 5 acre park. We were expecting a sterile sculpture experience, but we alas, we were wrong. First, the sculptures (57+ pieces) are amazing. You may not care for them all, but there is guaranteed to be a piece or two to make you stop, gawk, and wonder how you could get it into your own garden. Second, the setting works well. Under mature live oaks and other trees, there is a sense of, well, maturity about the garden. The setting and layout lends itself to discovering hidden pieces, like an Easter egg hunt; you can’t take the whole garden in a glance by any means. It takes several laps around to begin to appreciate the layers and different views of the works.

Garden Vistas with Lagoon

Hercules the Archer” [1947] - Antoine Bourdelle (left) and “Riace Warriors I, II, III, IV” [1983-1988] - Elisabeth Frink (right)
Hercules the Archer [1947] - Antoine Bourdelle Riace Warriors I, II, III, IV [1983-1988] - Elisabeth Frink

Heroic Man” [1930-34] - Gaston Lachaise (left) and “Monkeys” [1998-2001] - Rona Pondick (right)
Heroic Man [1930-34] - Gaston LachaiseMonkeys [1998-2001] - Rona Pondick

 Views of “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh
“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh “Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh 

“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh (left) and “Standing Man with Radiating Words” [2006] - Leslie Dill (right)
“Karma” [2011] - Do-Ho Suh   “Standing Man with Radiating Words” [2006] - Leslie Dill

Two Views of “Large Seated Cardinal” [1983] Giacomo Manzu
“Large Seated Cardinal” [1983] Giacomo Manzu“Large Seated Cardinal" [1983] Giacomo Manzu

The Labors of Alexander” [1967] - Rene Magritte (left) and “Window and Ladder - Too Late for Help” [2008] - Leandro Erlich (right)
“The Labors of Alexander” [1967] - Rene Magritte  “Window and Ladder - Too Late for Help” [2008] - Leandro Erlich

“Three Figures and Four Benches” [1979] - George Segal (left) and “Una Battaglia (A Battle)” [1971] - Arnaldo Pomodoro (right)
“Three Figures and Four Benches” [1979] - George Segal “Una Battaglia (A Battle)” [1971] - Arnaldo Pomodoro


Venus Victorius” [1914] - Pierre Auguste Renoir with “Reclining Mother and Child” [1975, 77] – Henry Moore in the background (left) and golden archer, unidentified (right)
“Venus Victorius” [1914] - Pierre Auguste Renoir with “Reclining Mother and Child” [1975, 77] – Henry Moore in the background golden archer, unidentified

Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden
Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden Brochure and Map of the Garden

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