The 2013–14 exhibition

9 November 2013 – 16 February 2014

Six years after the inaugural exhibition, 2013 marked the fourth Sculpture in the Gardens and the biennial show proved its ability to attract sculptors and works of the highest standard – and visitors in increasingly impressive numbers. This year also marked the introduction of the accompanying videos about the artists and their works, which can all be viewed below.

Once again there was no overriding curatorial theme governing the selection. The exhibition included a great variety of types of work, but nonetheless some themes emerged – the idea of ‘home’– or at least a building or dwelling of some sort. Jeff Thomson’s woven corrugated iron house, James Kirkwood’s Monkey Puzzle Pagoda, Mia Hamilton’s many in fill nests, Oliver Stretton-Pow’s three rooks, Louise Purvis’s skeletal building, a gate by Brian Verey and a fence by Richard Wedekind – all these explored the idea of home or dwelling. Christine Hellyar’s Pineapple Twists brought to mind the time-honoured association of pineapples with extravagant hospitality and welcoming honoured guests to your home.

Positioned throughout the gardens, viewers were surprised by the alien invaders in the Rose Garden, the white horse on the green and the enormous knife among the perennials; amused by Samantha Lissette’s busy leafcutting ants, Jim Wheeler’s overgrown garden tools, Jane Downes’ tattered umbrellas and Jamie Pickernell’s puzzled bunny and crab; intrigued by Neil Miller’s intricate balancing pipes, Lucy Bucknall and Andy MacVicar’s Flotilla and Rory McDougall’s monolithic Stem; and challenged or calmed by Marté Szirmay’s Split, John Edgar’s Stone Flowers, Llew Summers’ angel wing, James Wright’s Tree Man, and Bing Dawe’s stunningly slithery balancing eel.

The artists participating in 2013 were: Lucy Bucknall, Bing Dawe, Todd & Karuna Douglas, Jane Downes, John Edgar, Ben Foster, Mia Hamilton, Christine Hellyar, James Kirkwood, Michael Klaja, Samantha Lissette, Andy MacVicar, Rory McDougall, Neil Miller, Jamie Pickernell, Louise Purvis, Gordon Smith, Oliver Stretton-Pow, Llew Summers, Marté Szirmay, Jeff Thomson, Bryan Verey, Richard Wedekind, Jim Wheeler, and James Wright.