11.13.09 ALMOST daily pic post: Grounds for Sculpture

I suppose it was inevitable that I would miss a day. Sorry Nov. 12th., I'll try to make it up to ya!

So today's picture comes from a place I consider to be one of the true gems of New Jersey and in fact the entire United States. Grounds For Sculpture, for those of you that don't know (Hey, I didn't), is the creation of sculptor and philanthropist J. Seward Johnson.  An area of land the size of an amusement park, GFS showcases beautiful sculptures from a multitude of artists in a mostly outdoor setting. Johnson is an amazing artist and one of his recurring themes is to create wonderful versions of impressionist paintings cut into the landscape of the park.

Where you Invited?

by Seward Johnson

2001 Painted Bronze

J. Seward Johnson's Were You Invited? is based upon French Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir’s nineteenth-century masterpiece, The Luncheon of the Boating Party.  In this specially designed and landscaped environment, viewers can actually step into the scene and mingle with the diners.  In addition to the members of the Impressionist’s boating party are four figures seated around another table at the far end of the tableau. Joined in convivial conversation are realistic representations of sculptor Johnson himself with artists Bill Barrett, Red Grooms, and Andrzej Pitynski.  A dashing character in period costume brandishes his cane and addresses those at the table asking, “Were you invited?”  Phillip Bruno, collector and art gallery director, posed for this gentleman keeping out the party crashers.  Since 1994, Johnson has been creating lifesized three-dimensional works based on well-known paintings that, as Johnson has said, “allow an intimacy with the paintings that the paintings don’t allow themselves.”