Beverly Pepper, Cromlech Glen, 1985-90

trees, sod, earth

Laumeier Sculpture Park Commission with funds from anonymous donors

Cromlech Glen was inspired by a visit Pepper made to the jungle-engulfed ruins of Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Pepper selected and designed Cromlech Glen to be an integral part of this heavily wooded environment. The steeply angled bowl forms an earthen amphitheater, offering up a gathering place to present poetry readings, musical performances or, alternatively, a peaceful site for meditation. Cromlech Glen’s location within the forested trail plays on the sights and sounds of the tree canopy, deer, birds and insects, encompassing the ecological attractions that help contribute to the thrill of curiosity and discovery. A sandstone stairway is nestled into the triangulated face, inviting the viewer to climb up and then inside its womblike center space.

Represented paradoxically to be both natural and unnatural, Cromlech Glen embodies both mythological and archeological associations. Is this an ancient fortification or a mysterious natural formation? As the earth transforms with the seasons and through the wear and tear of human negotiation, Pepper’s direct collaboration with nature continues as it consistently challenges the presence and form of her sculpture. This co-dependence imparts what the artist calls a “true environment” that can only reveal itself through time and ongoing physical interaction.

Location: Nature Trails