On Sculpture and Architecture

Leondrdo,Vol. 6,pp. 243-246. Pergamon Press 1973. Printed in GreatBritain. ON SCULPTURE AND ARCHITECTURE Henry Moore* with Dolores Mitchell** Traditionally, the central role of sculpture has involved placement on public sites, although during the 20th century the trend has been for sculptors to make works for display in a neutral gallery environment . Interest, however, has been growing to again place sculpture in urban areas not restricted to private use, such as thoroughfares, public buildings, parks and squares [l]. Sculpture can offset excessively impersonal modern architecture by adding a human sense of scale and points of emotional significance. Perhaps it is more certain that public sites need the sculptor rather than that he needs such sites. A sculptor who takes on such a commission is facedwithproblemsthat donot arisein gallerywork. His sculpture as an aesthetic object must compete visually with utilitarian objects. He may have to contend with ideas proposed by a patron or by an architect. He must make decisions arising from a specific location regarding scale, materials, viewing space and placement [2, 31. Two of the senior author’s sculptures of the 1960’s that are placed at public sites illustrate some of these considerations. ‘LockingPiece’(1963/4), sitedby the river Thames near the Tate Gallery in London, was a gift to the Nation. John Barton, of Farmer and Dark, Chartered Architects, after discussions with the senior author (hereinafter referred to by the personal pronoun) planned the environment of the sculpture and the firm designed both the garden surrounding the sculpture and the nearby Riverwalk House. In a letter to the junior author, Barton discussed the design of the freestanding cooling tower of Riverwalk House, which can be seen on the right in Fig. 1. Becauseof proximityand similarities * SculptorlivingatHoglands,PerryGreen,MuchHadham, Herts.,England. ** Art historian, Art Department, California State University,Chico, CA 95926, U.S.A. (Received 12 October 1972.) Fig. I . Henry Moore, ‘Locking Piece’, bronze, 1963/4. (Riverwalk House, Westminster, London. Architects:Farmer & Dark.) (Photo: E. Jackson,London.) 243 244 Henry Moore with in scaleand compactness ofform, the tower provides visual competition for the sculpture. Barton wrote as follows: ‘The design of the cooling tower started from the point that the relatively exposed position of the site and its smallness necessitated this necessary equipment being effectively on public view. It was placed on the site formally in relation to the office building (Riverwalk House) and functionally to act as a rond point in vehicular circulation. To enclose the space in which the water has to be precipitated to be cooled, various claddings were considered. Cedar boarding was thought to provide the best combination of lightness, economy and freedom frommaintenance. Theconstructional use of timber predicated an octagonal rather than a circular form. The whole attempts to provide some decorative interest and life in an essentiallyutilitarian object. ‘We were subsequently appointed also as the architects for the public gardens (the whole site has been developed from an area previously covered with industrial buildings and a wharf). The garden was partly conceivedas a setting for Henry Moore’s ‘LockingPiece’, part of a collection given by him to the Nation and after negotiations, loaned by the Tate Gallery Trustees to Westminster City Council, the owners of the garden. This was a happy circumstance given the close proximity of the Tate Gallery itself and the garden can in some ways be regarded as almost an extension of the grounds of the Tate. ‘Possible vandalism was a concern, hence the decision to place the sculpture on a plinth surrounded by a fountain pool to deter attack. ‘Theshapeof the site-a long triangle-combined with the need to provide structures to store garden equipment and plant to operate the fountains, and raised areasto enablepeopleto seeboth thesculpture and over the river flood wall, generated the two sets of hexagonal constructions. As forms, these interlock more satisfactorily than octagons, whilst still acknowledging the cooling tower form’ [ 4 ] . Coming upon ‘Locking Piece’ suddenly, while driving along the Embankment, one obtains a glimpse of the massive, glittering nugget, which could suggest worship. Benches surround the sculpture and the water of its fountain and the nearness of the Thames encourage contemplation of the work. The juxtaposition of the cooling...