Robert Chambers, Sugabus, 2004

bronze with patina

Laumeier Sculpture Park Commission with funds from the Mark Twain Laumeier Endowment Fund

Sugabus’ colossal six tons of bronze arranged into 45 globes resemble a giant balloon sculpture poodle. Sugabus also represents the interlocking elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen found in sucrose. Chambers’ cuddly title, a mingling of “Sugar” and “Cerberus,” transforms the terror evoked by the mythological three-headed guard dog of Hades into a fluffy domesticated pet. Has Chambers made this scary creature into a loveable puffball through the association with a syrupy rush? The metamorphosis stirs together love for pets, elemental craving for sweets and legend into a whimsical alchemy of sculptural forms.

Location: South Lawn