ARTS & CULTURE
By Maria de Bruyn
Correspondent
CHAPEL HILL–Our current forecasted temperatures give us wonderful days to get outdoors and enjoy autumn. At the North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG), we can benefit from beautiful natural surroundings and entertaining artwork throughout the gardens and at the DeBerry Gallery.
From now through December 8, visitors at the main NCBG entrance will be welcomed by a whimsical sculpture with so many people touching it that the staff had to put up a sign asking them to be gentle. Entitled “Bird,” it was constructed by artist Hamidou Sissoko from found horseshoes and fashioned so that Bird can move around on two spring legs. Like many other visitors, I couldn’t resist giving it a gentle push to see the avian “come to life” in a smile-inspiring manner. It should be noted that visitors are asked NOT to touch other pieces in the show.
Bird is one of 86 pieces on display for the NCBG’s 36th Annual Sculpture in the Garden event. Many pieces have already been sold (visible by red stickers on their descriptions), but they can all be seen through December 8th.
The Path Not Taken by Douglas Tilden. Photo by ©Maria de Bruyn.
Each artwork has an accompanying sign to tell us the name of the sculpture, the artist’s name and a description of what we are seeing. Some of the artists’ musings make viewing their work even more enjoyable. For example, Douglas Tilden’s The Path Not Taken asks: “Often while walking in unfamiliar places, you may come across stones stacked suggesting a path you should take. What if you chose the other one?”
Many exhibited works depict animals and creatures of some kind, such as songbirds, turtles, a sandpipers, snakes, frogs, a spider, and a dinosaur. In some cases, the artists wanted their work, including the materials used, to express their feelings about what is happening in our world today.
Top left: Mr. Scrappy by José Pereira. Top right: Urban Forager by Anna Schroeder. Bottom left: detail from Silent Spring by William Moore. Bottom right: Lay of Jordan Lake by Irena Cepulyte. All photos by ©Maria de Bruyn.
For example, Mr. Scrappy ostrich, made from 100% recycled materials, reflects artist José Pereira’s attention to caring for our natural world. Anna Schroeder’s raccoon devouring a fish sandwich seeks to illustrate the complex relationship between wildlife and our modern environment as the animals seek to adapt and survive.
William Moore’s Silent Spring emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic and his wish to memorialize the more than one million people who died from the disease. He was inspired by seeing the chimney swifts who overnight in UNC’s Davie Poplar in preparation for their annual migration: “Somewhere between a memorial to life passing and the pure will to persist and carry on, we find and remember a Silent Spring.” Irena Cepulyte’s Lady of Jordan Lake reflects the artist’s feelings of powerlessness in the face of pollution caused by accumulating trash that can harm wildlife, such as fishing lines and hooks.
While walking through the garden areas to see the sculptures, adults and children can stay further entertained with a sculpture scavenger hunt. And through November 21st, you can still vote for your favorite sculpture. The piece with the most admirers will win a People’s Choice Award.
Photo: NCBG Facebook page.
Before, during or after your sculpture-viewing walk, you can also take a break indoors. The DeBerry Gallery has an exhibition on display by artist Susan Fecho. Since 1998, she has had 30 solo exhibitions in five states and participated in 30 invitational and juried exhibitions.
Her work incorporates varied techniques such as watercolor, gouache, printmaking, fiber work, and illustration. The resulting pieces displayed at the Gallery center around leaves, plants and animals from the natural world. They will be on display through December 20.
Maria de Bruyn participates in nature-oriented citizen science projects and posts on Instagram and a blog.
This reporter can be reached at Info@TheLocalReporter.press
Be the first to comment on "Art and nature — a marvelous match"