Installation of
Horizontal Twist, one of
Beverly Pepper's marvellous contemporary sculptures, took place in the Fuqua Orchid Center last Wednesday.
Horizontal Twist is with us as a part of the Garden's new sculpture exhibition
Independent Visions, which opens this week. I must admit I was alarmed when our Exhibitions Manager, Cathleen Hunt, proposed to place the sculpture in the Formal Bed. What kind of crane could fit in a four foot wide space and hoist a 2200 pound work of art over a two foot high water feature and into the center of a bed 25 feet long? It would take hours.
It took about 45 minutes. The sculpture arrived swaddled in protective wrapping and was attached to a
gantry crane by a crew of experts while I stood nervously by, holding a camera to stave off hand-wringing. Once attached to a chain hoist, the piece was lifted above the height of the bed.
The hoist moves horizontally on a trolley fitted to a heavy aluminum beam. As the operator pulled the guide chain the sculpture moved forward and across the reflection pond.
The sculpture was steadied so that it didn't fishtail and strike the cedar pergola.
Once it reached its destination the piece was pivoted above the bed.
The piece was centered over a platform that will distribute its weight across the bed.
And finally the sculpture was lowered into position.
A few final tweaks were requested by Cathleen Hunt, Exhibitions Manager.
And the crew sprang into action one last time.
Well done! Congratulations, guys.
What are you going to plant around the
Horizontal Twist, Sarah?
The exhibition,
Independent Visions: Sculpture in the Garden features 19 works by nine different artists. It runs from May through October. The Member Opening is tonight!
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