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Indepth Arts News:
"Cromlech Glen By Beverly Pepper to Reopen"
2003-06-15 until 2003-09-07
Laumeier Sculpture Park
St. Louis, MO,
USA United States of America
Cromlech Glen, artist Beverly Pepper‚s monumental earthwork at Laumeier Sculpture Park, will reopen to the public on Saturday, June 14, after months of restoration work. Director Glen P. Gentele said, „Laumeier is very proud of the restoration of Cromlech Glen. This is a work of art that requires ongoing maintenance because it is literally the environment˜made of earth and grass. It is a living work of art, and a seminal work in the collection.‰ Pepper will assess the restoration thus far during her visit, and guide the curatorial department in the continued maintenance of the piece.
The restoration project began in May, 2002, and continued for nearly a year. The labor-intensive work of restoring this magnificent piece involved re-installing the steps, replacing much of the pathway around the top of the mounds, using 90 tons of earth to reshape the piece, and the use of a specialty mower to trim the grass on the steep sides.
Cromlech Glen is one of Laumeier‚s most significant works and has been a favorite among Park visitors since its installation in 1985. It was created from 3,500 tons of earth, formed into an open-ended circle that created an earthen amphitheatre. The sides of the encircling mound are steeply angled, and steps lead up the face of each end of the soil bank with a path continuing around the top. The earthwork itself is planted with grass and the surrounding area is planted with liriope, scotch pine and spruce.
Beverly Pepper selected the site and designed the piece to be an integral part of the environment. Cromlech Glen has an ancient sense of mystery and timelessness that comes from using ancient, revered forms˜and making the visitor feel that he has stumbled upon a prehistoric amphitheatre or shrine. „Monumental sculpture should energize and activate spaceinvolving people and bringing society closer together,‰ said Pepper. Cromlech Glen was created as a functional work that could serve as a place for meditation, poetry readings, and small dance or musical performances.
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