First sculptures unveiled at Storey Tasting Garden

Tuesday, 2 May 2023 10:52

The first two fruit sculptures have been unveiled in the Tasting Garden at The Storey in Lancaster.

The pieces - Czar Plum and the Swan’s Egg Pear - were unveiled in the Tasting Garden of The Storey, Lancaster as part of an ambitious plan by the Friends of Storey Gardens to recreate the concept designed by Mark Dion, an internationally renowned environmental artist.

Robert Williams, PhD, Professor of Fine Art Research Lead for the University of Cumbria, unveiled the Czar Plum sculpture followed by City of Lancaster’s Madam Mayor, Councillor Joyce Pritchard unveiling the Swan’s Egg Pear before a gathering of supporters and Friends.

They were designed by Robert Williams and crafted by local sculptor Alan Ward MRSS, who works in stone, clay and bronze from a studio/workshop in Lancaster Castle.

The placement of these first two sculptures is the start of a programme to replicate the full twenty-one that formed part of Mark Dion’s design for the Tasting Garden. Paths were laid out in the form of branches of a tree and old varieties of fruit trees – apple, plum and pear – were planted on each of the four main branches and plinths, bearing a sculpture of its fruit, erected in front of each tree.

The cost of replacing the other nineteen sculptures will be around £55,000, and whilst the FOSG will receive £20,000 from Lancashire County Council’s Sport and Culture Fund, they have initiated a Crowdfunding project via the Spacehive platform to realise the balance of £35,000.

Once this target is reached it is anticipated that the sculpture project will be completed within one year.

This campaign launches on May 19 for a twelve-week period.

More details can be found here

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