11 June, 2010
Fulham Palace Exhibition Extended
The exhibition of sculptures in the gardens of Fulham Palace has been extended until the end of 2011.
11 June, 2010
Jerwood Sculpture Acquires 'Small Nails'
The Jerwood Sculpture collection at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire has acquired the 1989 wind mobile sculpture ‘Small Nails’ from the Montgomery Sculpture Trust.
21 November, 2008
Fulham Palace
Peter Logan has been invited to create a group of sculptures to place in the remarkable 13-acre gardens of Fulham Palace. Each piece will “grow” out of the many old tree stumps that stand around the gardens, victims of hurricane force winds of the past years. In addition, intricate and delicate models, together with drawings and note books marking the development of the work, will be exhibited in the Palace’s newly-restored Gallery. This will be the first sculpture exhibition to take place in the gardens.
The sculpture will be exhibited for a full twelve months to include each of the four seasons. Seven sculptures will be installed initially and with each season new sculptures will appear, timed to reflect the changing year and the progress of the garden’s renovation.
The Sculptures
Peter Logan’s sculptures move from the very moment of their creation as models in his studio, made from fragile materials, teased into movement with a gentle push of the finger. Once a movement captures the imagination of the artist, it is developed into a small sculpture. The sculptures are then engineered to move when the least breath of wind takes them and are constructed from materials to reflect and respond to their environment.
The Palace Gallery will present an exhibition of drawings, notebooks and smaller scale sculptures made as part of the development of the large sculptures. The small sculptures will not be scale models but unique and original works in their own right. The Gallery exhibition will document the creative process of realising the large sculptures that await discovery throughout the grounds.
The siting of the garden sculptures will be informed by the quality of light and conditions of the wind. Crucially however, the sculptures will each emerge from stumps to occupy the space yielded by the lost trees above, though without aspiring to take their place. They will evoke and celebrate the spirit of the trees and the generations of gardeners who have cared for them.
Walking around Fulham Palace grounds is an intimate experience, like exploring a secret garden. The renovation of the grounds is designed to be sensitive to the different eras of the Palace’s life and the beauty of its weathering; a palimpsest of architecture and plant life. This exhibition will celebrate traces of what went on amongst the lawns, walls and woodland. The sculptures will draw the explorer into remote areas, and enhance the experience of discovering the Palace’s secret beauty and ancient history.
Fulham Palace
Fulham Palace is an extraordinary place. Home to the Bishops of London for over 1300 years, the Palace’s charming Tudor and Georgian courtyards nestle gracefully amongst 13 acres of peaceful botanic gardens on a reach of the Thames where Fulham slowly ebbs into Chelsea, just yards from Putney Bridge.
The Palace, which is operated jointly by Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Fulham Palace Trust, has recently been immaculately renovated to create a museum, a restaurant and an elegant contemporary exhibition space that showcases the work of both emerging and established artists commissioned to create exhibitions that are inspired by the Palace and its environs. Its 13-acre gardens, which are currently being restored, will shortly provide an exceptional and much-needed venue for outdoor sculpture in the Capital. Once the undoubted Cinderella of south-west London, Fulham Palace is now emerging from anonymity to welcome not just Londoners, but visitors from all around the world.
The Gardens
The gardens of Fulham Palace – which until 1924 were enclosed by the longest moat in England – are amongst the most important in the country. Bishop Grindal sent grapes grown at the Palace to Queen Elizabeth I and the gardens became famous in the seventeenth century when Bishop Compton imported from the Americas rare plants , such as magnolia, and grew them in Europe for the first time. Although none of his original plants survive, many fine specimens can nevertheless be found including an ancient holm oak and a number of recently-introduced, rare, botanical trees and shrubs.
Today the gardens include woodland, lawns and an romantic walled garden – a secluded spot with a herb knot garden, vinery, wisteria and orchard. Visitors will see that a programme of restoration of the designed landscape is underway and plans are afoot for the walled garden to become productive once again.
The Benefits of the Exhibition
The exhibition will be free of charge and enjoyed by anyone visiting Fulham Palace. The exhbition will not only provide a stimulating experience for regular visitors it will also open the Palace to an entirely new audience – an audience, it is hoped, that will revisit again and again and perhaps support the Palace in its ongoing restoration. The exhbition will be the first of its type at the Palace. Innovative, engaging, elegant and accessible the exhbition will have a broad appeal and is expected to generate press interest. Certainly the exhibition will mark the beginning of a regular programme of outdoor scuplture exhbitions – something we believe will make a notable contibution to the arts in London.
Education
Fulham Palace has a thriving educational programme which tells the story of this ancient site from Prehistoric times to the present day. Peter Logan’s exhibition will provide a stimulating new focus for the education team over the 12 months it takes place.
For further information please contact: Dr Scott Cooper, Director, Fulham Palace, 020 7610 7161 or director@fulhampalace.org