Sculpture garden

The Singer sculpture garden

The Singer Laren sculpture garden designed by Piet Oudolf opened in June. He had previously designed the forecourt and roof garden of the refurbished museum. The sculpture garden, which is accessible free of charge, contains sculptures by contemporary Dutch artists, all of them on the theme of the relationship between culture and nature.

Spotlight on some of the sculptures

Artist Guido Geelen was inspired by the story of the theft of seven sculptures in 2007. In his sculpture two sheep stand guard over the garden like knights in armour. Judith Pfaelter took the lines in a landscape as her basis, lifting them by an imaginary thread. Bert Frijns placed three sculpted sheets of glass in the grass to form a structure in which a spring plays with the light.

The giant blackberries created by Maria Roosen have an alienating effect in the garden. Roosen produced this piece as part of the Singer Prize 2009, which is awarded by the Friends of Singer Laren once every two years. In 2013 it was awarded to Caspar Berger, whose self-portrait from his Skin project can also be seen in the garden.

The Tree Table by Famke van Wijk warrants a separate mention, as it was created in memory of the deceased former chair of Singer Laren, Dolf van den Brink. We also have two new sculptures on long-term loan: Torso by Armando, made in 2005, and Memories of Norway by Mieke Pontier, from 2015.

A Piet Oudolf design

Piet Oudolf is a well-known representative of ‘The Dutch Wave’, a movement in garden architecture that draws inspiration from natural plant communities, art and the seasons. Oudolf is known, among other things, for his design for the Highline in New York City and the Millennium Park in Chicago. He has received a number of prizes and awards for his work, including the gold medal for ‘Best in Show’ at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2000. He received the Singer Prize 2018 on 3 June 2018.

Visit sculpture garden

The sculpture garden is accessible free of charge, you can book a special package including a lunch. Click here for more information.