Sculpture at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Long shot of the six sheep statues

Moutons (Sheep) (1977-89)

Cast epoxy stone and bronze, 36 x 39 x 16 inches

The ram and two lambs are on long term loan from the Greenberg Gallery of St. Louis, and are available for naming opportunities. The two ewes were an anonymous gift to the Garden in 1993.

a. Close-up of 2 sheep

b. Close-up of ewe and lamb

c. Close-up of ram

Artist:

Francios-Xavier Lalanne

"Lalanne is the last man in the world to bother his head with the "new scene" in art as it is presented by the art magazines. He and his wife, artist Claudia Lalanne, like to see their work put to use - preferably in a domestic situation rather than roped off in a museum. If there are frontiers between art and decoration, art and utility, and "applied art", the Lalannes have not heard of them." 1.

All of Lalanne's work is fun and functional on some level and much of the work is designed with the garden in mind. The sheep are actually the equivalent of garden benches. Other works are literally functioning: donkey/desk, gorilla/safa, baboon/wood stova, and so on. Each work is technically sound and yet poetically thoughtful. He considers himself an "artisan" in the medieval sense of the term. Lalanne delights in his work and insists that his objects have an everyday usefulness so that they can be readily enjoyed by others.

1. John Russell, cataloge on Lalanne.

Location:

Lawn near Terrace Garden in the William T. Kemper Center for Home Gardening

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