A new exhibition opening in February will revisit one of the world’s first large-scale outdoor sculpture shows through the work of artist Richard Fleischner and his contemporaries.
“Full Circle: Richard Fleischner with David Smith, Christo, Claes Oldenburg, Barnett Newman, & other Monumenta Artists” runs Feb. 6 through May 3 at Rosecliff.
The exhibition marks 51 years since “Monumenta” transformed Newport in 1974. At its center is Fleischner’s site-specific earthwork “Sod Maze” at Chateau-sur-Mer, created for the original exhibition and still existing today.
Fleischner recently donated more than 20 artworks, drawings and studies related to “Sod Maze” to The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns Chateau-sur-Mer and 10 other historic properties. The newly acquired works include original sketches, notes and archival materials.
The exhibition presents Fleischner’s work alongside pieces by fellow Monumenta artists Christo, David Smith, Claes Oldenburg, Alexander Liberman and Barnett Newman. It marks the first time Monumenta artists have been reunited in Newport since 1974.
“Full Circle” also features a selection of Fleischner’s encaustic work, exhibited for the first time, along with preparatory materials for his ongoing installation at Rowdy Meadow in Ohio, where his work is sited among pieces by Richard Serra, Anish Kapoor and Andy Goldsworthy.
The exhibition is included with admission to Rosecliff. For more information, visit newportmansions.org/events/full-circle.