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Sculpture in the Garden 2010
Visitors to the University’s Botanic Garden can enjoy our ninth annual international exhibition of sculpture over the summer, which this year has the theme ‘Heart Head and Hands’. (Update: now with refreshments!)
'Column Somersault with Tuck' by John W Mills
Curated by Dr John Sydney Carter FRBS, the exhibition features 63 pieces from 42 artists including Dr Carter himself. Helaine Blumenfeld (who has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leicester) has contributed her 1990 bronze ‘Souls’ which was the model for the sculpture that sits on the lawn in front of our Fielding Johnson Building.
The sculptures range from the completely abstract, such as Dylis Jackson’s ‘Hireath’ to the more figurative such as John W Mills’ ‘Degas Dancing’. Mary Anstee-Parry’s ‘Tattoo’ was inspired by a mother duck and ducklings while Miles Halpin’s ‘The Spideriness of Spiderhood’ is as arachnoid as the title suggests. Rita Phillips’ ‘Ancestor 1’ and Tony Roberts’ ‘Hands Up’ both draw inspiration from ancient standing stones. One of the artists, Bilhenry Walker, has posted online a 90-second video clip of a walk around his ‘Synaptic Sinew V’.
Materials used range across various types of stone, metal and wood to less orthodox media including bamboo canes and recycled plastic bags.
The exhibition was officially opened on Saturday and runs until 19 September. The Botanic Garden is open from 10.00am to 4.00pm, seven days a week over the summer months and entry is free (except on 25 July when there is a National Garden Scheme event and 5 September when there is a plant sale day). The paths are wheelchair-friendly and there are disabled-accessible toilets. And, as the old saying has it: no ball games, no dogs.
Update: refreshments available at weekends
For the first time, the University of Leicester Botanic Garden is making available teas and cake at the weekends for people to enjoy the sumptuous setting of the international sculpture exhibition.
Refreshments will be available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11.00am to 4.00pm from 3 July to 19 September.
Dr Richard Gornall, Director of the Botanic Garden said: “We hope visitors will find that this much needed facility will enhance their enjoyment of both the garden and its sculpture exhibition.”
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Honorary degrees, July 2010: no.2 Baroness Byford of Rothley
