Henry Moore at New York Botanical Garden
May 28th, 2008 by Brad
Monday we attended the Henry Moore exhibit called “Moore in America†at the New York Botanical Garden nybg.org (Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road, the Bronx) (718) 817-8700.
It opened last Saturday and continues through 2-Nov. After New York it heads to the Atlanta Botanical Garden for the winter.
The show has 18 of Henry Moore’s bronzes and two of the fiberglass works. This is the largest outdoor collection in a single US location.
The work on the left is entitled “Oval with Points”
One work that Moore enjoyed was called “Sheep Piece” that was situated so the sheep and lambs could find endless possibilities running around it and rubbing against it. I think we would have enjoyed seeing people milling around and exploring all of the work up close and from any angle. NYBG really allows this freedom (they hadn’t removed 1 or 2 of their typical “don’t walk on the grass” signs, damn 🙂 missed taking that fun image).
The sculpture called “Large Totem Head” is in a fitting spot if you wanted to really highlight its seed-pod nature in front of a monumental black oak.
Moore liked to show his work outside and this work is in a beautiful setting. Moore said “Sculpture is an art of the open air, and for me its best setting and complement is nature. I would rather have a piece of my sculpture put in a landscape, almost any landscape, than in, or on, the most beautiful building I know.”
The reclining figure, for Moore, was full of possibilities in composition and he often returned to it throughout his entire career.
Moore’s art was about definitely about appreciating life and life’s possibilities.
Moore believed that art needs effort to be fully appreciated, things can’t be to obvious.
He once said something like things that can be understood with quick observations serve the same purpose as street signs.
Below is the work called “Knife Edge: Two Pieces,” which came from his ponderings on the nature and shape of bones and in particular the thin bones of birds.
He was always attracted to the way light and air played against his sculptures in outdoor environments.
We had lunch near “Reclining Figure Angles.” Another aspect of his many figures is a far off gaze that he associated with the feeling of possibilities.
A 1975 work called “Three Piece Reclining Figure: Draped” is set in a glade in the ornamental conifers part of the garden.
He wanted many of his works to have a lasting momumental feel. Finally I’ll finish with a more detail image of the first work…
Many thanks to the Henry Moore Foundation!
