PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens
Talin Kraft
There’s an excellent sculpture park about an hour from New York City ― on PepsiCo corporate grounds. It’s been closed for renovations for the past five years or so, but now it’s finally open for public and it is beautiful. They have incredible sculpture collection (Donald Kendall, former chairman and CEO, started it in 1965 and managed to get the works of major twentieth century artists). The grounds are gorgeous as well, designed by famous British gardener Russell Page, there’s a lake, woodland walks, a lily pond, grass gardens, groves ― it’s very pretty. We spent about 3 hours walking around and had a great time.
Take a look at some of the sculptures:
Omnipesent Henry Moore is represented by four pieces. I really liked his Double Oval, it’s so different depending on where you stand!
Barbara Hepworth has one piece (“Meridian”), and a series of nine pieces (“The Family of Man”).
The Family of Man is pretty amazing. As a group, these figures are striking. It has smaller, simpler figures, serving as children, a couple of bigger slender pieces ― “The Bride” and “Bridegroom”, and finally bigger pieces, some of them heavy-set and old-looking with the help of patina ― these are “Ancestors”, others are called “Parents”, and the biggest, most complex and interesting piece is called “Ultimate form”. Is it a person? Is it an aspiration? Ideal man? That’s for you to decide.
There are a few sculptures by Arnaldo Pomodoro ― one single disc and a series of three cylinders, fittingly named “Triad”. I love how he combines a simple geometric form and high polish on the outside with a sudden burst of very complex structure on the inside.
Max Ernst and Leonora Carrington. Their sculptures are nothing alike and they are not close to each other, yet whenever I encounter one, I always think of another, and not only because of their relationship. There’s something tying them together, as different as they are. Here, Ernst’ work is very masculine in its hard lines, patriarchal themes and overpowering male figure. And Carrington’s sculpture is just the opposite ― not exactly feminine, more witch-like ― it’s wild, dark and enigmatic. Just like the artist herself.
There are more works of famous and less-famous artists:
On a practical note, the gardens are open for public from April through October, on weekends only, 10 am to 4 pm. The entrance and parking are free.