The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC has announced that its sculpture garden will reopen on 31 October following a four-year revitalisation.
The project has repaired the garden's aging infrastructure and reorganised the 1.3-acre space to display more artworks, welcome more guests, and reconnect the museum's campus.
When it reopens, the space will feature 60 artworks, including 39 from founding donor Joseph Hirshhorn’s personal collection. These will be set within a landscaped garden with nearly 30,000 new plants and trees.
Japanese photographer and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto has redesigned the sculpture garden with careful consideration of Gordon Bunshaft’s original design.
“The revitalization of the sculpture garden marks the most significant rethinking of our campus since the Hirshhorn opened in 1974, and the reopening installation presents the seamless connection between the museum and the garden through works from the 1880s to the present day,” said the Hirshhorn's director Melissa Chiu.
Sculpture garden reopens in October
“From Rodin, Willem de Kooning, Barbara Hepworth and David Smith to artists leading the way today, including Sugimoto, the sculpture garden centers pivotal moments in sculpture within a landscape designed for discovery."
Also on view in the sculpture garden are works by artists including Henri Matisse, Lucio Fontana, Alberto Giacometti, Hans Arp, Max Bill, Andrea Cascella, Elisabeth Frink, Jacques Lipchitz, Aristide Maillol, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Germaine Richier and Tomonori Toyofuku.
In addition to the new curatorial arrangement, architectural modifications to the sculpture garden have expanded public access to the Hirshhorn campus, including five points of entry and a wider 'front door' on the National Mall.
Images courtesy of the Smithsonian
