New Sculpture Park for Michigan - Artworld - Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park - Brief Article

The Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., debuts its 30-acre outdoor sculpture site on May 16. Part of a 125-acre complex of gardens and exhibition spaces founded in 1995 by Michigan collector and philanthropist Frederick Meijer, the park contains a permanent display of 25 major works of outdoor sculpture. Many pieces were commissioned specifically for the site. The first commission, a 25-foot-high welded bronze by Richard Hunt, was followed by sculptures by Antony Gormley, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Jim Dine, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Mark di Suvero and others.

Designed by landscape architect Darwin Feuerstein, the park is traversed by more than 1 1/2 miles of pathway accessible on foot or by tram. Coinciding with the park's opening, an Oldenburg and van Bruggen survey organized by Meijer curator Joseph Becherer debuts in the sculpture galleries, on view through Oct. 31. The galleries are part of a 120,000-square-foot enclosed facility that also includes classrooms, a library, an auditorium, a cafe and a bookstore.

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