A sculpture park in St Louis turned out to be a
surprise. For a start there's its superb location in the middle of downtown
near the famous Eero Saarinen Gateway Arch. And then there's the way it is used.
People in this city seemed to love it and want to spend time there. You forget
how unusual is it to see crowds of people not only physically enjoying
sculpture but also including it in the important events of their lives.
We happened to be in St Louis on Prom weekend and the
place was packed with limos, anxious parents and hundreds of dressed-up kids
looking for special places to be photographed. OK, the Gateway Arch was first
pick but a close second was the Citygarden sculpture park. The GatewayFoundation owns the works and it obviously believes that any scuffing or wear
can be readily repaired. And so there are no do not touch signs, no keep off
the art notices and no barriers.
At the far end of the park a striking but sombre work
by Richard Serra was left to its own devices but most everything else was in
use. Kids climbed the Mark di Suvero, people imitated Julian Opie's LED walking
figures, a family explored the inside of a large bronze head by Igor Mitoraj, a
couple fooled around with Jim Dine's Big
white gloves and prom celebrants used anything that was going to complement
their striking poses.
Images: top, Climbing Mark di Suvero’s Aesop’s fables. Second row,
photographing Prom outfits on Untitled
(two rabbits) by Tom Claasen. Third row left, striking a pose in front of
Jim Dine’s Big white gloves, big four
wheels and right, kids clambering
out after hiding in Eros Bendato by
Igor Mitoraj. Bottom, a very McCahon-like view of the garden through a portal in Richard Serra’s Twain
