- A towering bronze sculpture of a polar bear has arrived at Sculpture by the Lakes – one of more than 100 large-scale outdoor pieces being installed for a new sculpture event at the Dorset attraction.
FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition from April 1st to May 16th will feature in excess of 200 pieces of both indoor and outdoor sculpture from more than 30 top sculptors – making it one of the biggest sculpture exhibitions in the UK.
‘Boris’, a life-sized polar bear in bronze by artist Adam Binder is among the showstoppers set to impress an anticipated 14,000 visitors expected to safely visit the event over its seven-week span.
Weighing in at 1900kgs and the same size as the largest ever recorded polar bear, ‘Boris’ travelled into the county on the back of a flatbed truck and arrived safely at the park at the end of February. It is now floating on an ‘iceberg’ in one of the many lakes at Sculpture by the Lakes.
This impressive monumental sculpture has previously been exhibited in London’s Sloane Square following its release in 2013, where it was placed to raise awareness of this endangered species facing the dual threats of hunting and international trade, and habitat loss due to climate change. It later moved on to London Zoo, where it continued to symbolise the polar bears’ plight.
Adam Binder, one of Britain’s leading wildlife sculptors, said at the time*:
“If people stop for just a moment to contemplate Boris and the plight of the polar bear, it will have served a purpose. Art should make you think. Wildlife art, particularly a piece on this scale, will hopefully be poignant and remind us that we’re all part of nature and have a responsibility to every creature on our planet. The endangered polar bear symbolises this better than anything else and Boris carries an important message for us all.”
Sculptor Simon Gudgeon, owner of Sculpture by the Lakes and creator and curator of FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition said:
“This is a spectacular and meaningful piece and, while it was no mean feat to get it safely in place, we are thrilled to see it installed here ready for FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition.
“The show is fast beginning to take shape as we receive and install more and more pieces, including several others by Adam Binder. Boris, like all the sculptures, will also be available to purchase.
“The range and quality of the sculptures is astonishing and I am so excited to soon be able to share this experience with our visitors.”
FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition takes place from April 1st to 16th May, and will see more than 100 large-scale outdoor sculptures installed across the sculpture park’s stunning 26-acres of lakes, rivers, gardens, and woodlands, and more than 100 gallery sculpture across the indoor exhibition spaces at the sculpture park. All the exhibits, which will range in price from £1000 to £300,000, will also be available to purchase.
Alongside FORM will be The Dorset Garden Festival, taking place in the final week from 12th – 16th May. A five-day event with more than 30 exhibitors, expert talks, and tours of the stunning park with its botanic and kitchen gardens, created by Head Gardener and co-founder of Sculpture by the Lakes Monique Gudgeon.
Tickets for FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition will be priced at £12.50 – which is the standard price of entry to Sculpture by the Lakes. Due to the scale and the space of this outdoor venue, social distancing is very easy to maintain, and it will be further supported by reduced and capped visitor numbers. Tickets must be booked in advance and visitors will be required to maintain a safe distance from staff and other visitors. Sculpture by the Lakes is already experienced in operating public events with Covid-safe measures in place, having put on the hugely successful Dorset Arts Festival last July.
For more information visit https://www.gallerybythelakes.co.uk/form
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