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March, 2012

From The Director

Since 2009 the Sculpture Promenade has provided a showcase for contemporary and modern sculpture at the Fitzwilliam Museum, where the expansive lawns and historic facade of the building provide a striking backdrop for the display of large-scale, public works of art. Free to all and accessible from the main thoroughfare of central Cambridge, the sculptures are exhibited for ten months; the current works will be up until January 2013.


photo : Sokyo, Tenpi

This year's installation presents works by three artists of different nationalities who have all been drawn to, and worked in, the historic town of Pietrasanta in Tuscany, Italy. Famous for its nearby marble quarries at Carrara, and more recently for its bronze-casting foundries, the region of Pietrasanta has been a mecca for sculptors from Henry Moore to Michelangelo and even back to ancient Rome. As this Sculpture Promenade demonstrates, the allure of Pietrasanta to sculptors of all nationalities and styles remains undiminished. The artists presented in this year's Promenade are American Helaine Blumenfeld, Briton Peter Randall-Page, and the Japanese sculptor Kan Yasuda. A selection of the works are illustrated and described in this brochure, based on texts supplied by the artists. We are particularly delighted that the City of Pietrasanta is the official patron of this project and has assisted greatly in its realisation.


For many regular passers-by the Sculpture Promenade is the most visible thing the Fitzwilliam does. Its importance as an entree to the Museum, providing an enjoyable and educational experience for first-time visitors of all ages and backgrounds, is therefore becoming more and more apparent. Our sincere thanks go out to all the sponsors who have made this installation and the associated programme of events possible.


The works have been designed for outdoor display, where they interact physically and aesthetically with their landscape and with visitors. Some are conceived and fashioned in ways that respond to changes in light, weather and the seasons; here the effects of exposure to the elements are welcomed as part of the works' dynamic and evolving character. Visitors are invited to walk amongst the sculptures and interact with them. Touching is permitted -- unlike inside the Museum -- although climbing and any other activity that could cause personal injury or damage to the works are not. Comments on the Promenade, through the Museum's website, are welcome!


Timothy Potts, Director, Fitzwilliam Museum


Sculpture Promenade 2012 brochure


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