Works in Nature

After a year’s hiatus, our annual Works in Nature installation has returned. The seventh incarnation of the show brings another set of museum-quality sculpture to our already-breathtaking Bruns landscape, all by regionally-based artists. This year, the works harmonize with their natural surroundings more organically than ever before: Nonfigurative forms made of redwood, copper, bronze, stones, porcelain—even water—show their building blocks’ true colors and textures with careful intention and a flair for the dramatic.

EKO by Bruce Johnson

EVE by Archie Held

BLACK TRIANGLE by John Toki

Those who have visited our grounds before are already familiar with Bruce Johnson’s North Star, our one permanent piece, which stands tall (and occasionally gets climbed on) in the grove that bears its name. This year, Johnson, based in Cazadero, has four additional works on the Bruns grounds; all, like North Star, are constructed of redwood and copper with steel bases, and all are ready for touch and interaction. The sculptures—Koan, Photon, Eko, and Ion—are, for the most part, on a smaller scale than the imposing North Star, but boast similar swinging metal and wood protrusions, asking for curious patrons’ explorative hands.

Point Richmond’s Archie Held has two sculptures in Works in Nature this season, the curved, columnar Eve and the nestling, abstract figure of Trust. Both pieces are made of bronze and stone and both include water elements, furthering the elegant designs’ tranquil effects. Eve stands eight feet tall; Trust, seven-and-a-half.

John Toki, of Berkeley, has contributed three artworks to 2011’s sculpture garden. His pieces are constructed of stoneware and porcelain clay and are inspired by natural forms. The aptly named Spring Majesty towers overhead at 24 feet, suggesting both forests and sky in its blue and brown façade. Blue Pinnacle still imposes at eight-and-a-half feet, but its slight, simple shape belies a colorful whimsy. Black Triangle, at seven feet the smallest of Toki’s trio of sculptures, is inlaid with cool-hued geometry.

We hope you’ll find this year’s installation a pleasant complement to the spectacle of our grounds and on our stage. With the exception of North Star, all of the pieces in Works in Nature are available for purchase. A map and price sheet are available in the lobby.

For more information and pricing download the Works in Nature flyer (PDF) or contact Stefanie Kalem at 510.548.3422 x135.