 |
|||
   |
|||
The How to Create a School Sculpture Garden Manual
 |
|
Prepare
a space here for displaying sculpture.
|
 |
|
Should
we place sculpture or a water feature here.
|
 |
|
Director
of Secondary Education congratulates a student on the selection of her
work for the sculpture garden.
|
 |
|
The
maquette for our first student created sculpture for the garden.
|
11. EXHIBITION OF SCULPTURE
Planning for Placement
When sculptures are placed outdoors, they must be anchored to the ground for reasons of safety and security. Here are some basic guidelines to think about as you plan your garden. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, and we strongly recommend that you consult an engineer when installing any work of significant size.
Although many sculpture gardens frequently create fixed foundations for sculptures in the design process, it may be advisable to remain as flexible as possible in this regard. Foundation and installation requirements are unique to each sculpture in size, shape, and function. Therefore, if there is already a sculpture that will be incorporated into the design, this should be considered from the beginning of the planning process. However, there are ways to prepare the ground for sculpture that has yet to be determined.
At Nottingham High School, sculpture locations will be excavated to contain 6-8 inches of pea gravel, which can then accommodate a variety of slab, pedestal, or stone bases, achieving flexibility. In the planning process, space was also reserved so students and teachers can create new interactive works, install temporary works, or create environmental sculptures using local materials. An example of this might be a sculpture that "grows" each year as the students in successive classes contribute by designing a new portion.
Another idea for types of sculpture to include involves looking to the school community for specific ideas that build school spirit. The school symbol for Nottingham High School is the Northstar. The students created an earthwork based on this symbol as a sculptural component of the garden. The sculpture will be a raised berm in the shape of a star.
There are many ways to obtain sculpture for a sculpture garden. An artist, collector, gallery, or institution may loan existing works. It is best to borrow works for as long a period as possible, preferably a year or more, because of the costs involved with transportation and installation. New works may be commissioned from artists, or created by students specifically for the garden. Sculptures may also be purchased or gifted. It is cost effective and good for enhancing community involvement to draw on local artists to provide sculpture. Another source could be the art departments of local colleges and universities.
Consider getting insurance
for the sculpture. It is usually the responsibility of the host to insure artwork.
It may be the case that the school is able to put a rider on an existing policy,
or it may be necessary to take out a separate policy to cover the possibility
of any damage to the sculpture. It is not likely that any museum or gallery
will lend a sculpture unless it is covered by insurance. However, student work
will probably not need to be insured for damage.
Common Methods to Anchor and Place Sculpture
Some common methods to anchor sculptures include
- bolting the sculpture to a concrete foundation, which may be either above-grade, like a slab or pedestal, or below-grade, so that the sculpture appears to be sitting on the surface of the ground. Please be aware that the concrete foundation must go below your local frost line.
- using a steel I-beam structure.
- bolting the sculpture to a large stone base. In this instance, the stone would need to be placed on top of a 1-3 foot deep compacted gravel sub-base to prevent sinking during the changing seasons.
After a sculpture has been mounted, the surface of the ground can take several appearances. Some examples are grass, ground covers (plants), various types of gravel, and mulch. Please note, if you want grass to grow above a concrete or steel foundation, the top of the foundation needs to be eight inches below-grade in order for the plants to have a suitable growing medium.
When determining the best way to anchor or mount a sculpture, proportion and aesthetics are also important considerations. When a sculpture is placed outdoors, it is strongly affected by the surroundings, whether they are architecture or landscape. The sense of scale can be especially influenced by the surroundings. For example, a tall building can make a sculpture seem quite small by comparison; however a more intimate environment created by grasses or shrubbery could enhance the same small sculpture. Other considerations include color, texture, and space.
 |
|||
| TERMS AND CONDITIONS |
|
||