Art beginning to compete with architecture at Kentuck Knob
Nancy Mahaney, curator at Kentuck Knob, stands in the meadow of the Chalk Hill landmark before 960 figures that comprise a most impressive piece of art called “Red Army.’ “One guest said it reminded him of the standoff at Tiananmen Square (in Beijing, China, in 1989). Another said it reminded him of country line-dancing,’ said Mahaney.
“It’s all in the eye of the beholder.’
“Red Army,’ which simply gets its name from its red color, is the work of British artist Ray Smith, who trekked to Kentuck Knob for two weeks in 1998 to install the piece on a bed of gravel that stretches across a quarter-acre in the meadow.
The piece consists of three different figures (silhouettes) – two are female and one is male – that are repeated over and over.
They stand in 40 rows, with visitors able to walk around the outside of “Red Army’ and enjoy its uniqueness.
It is one of the standouts in a treasure of modern/abstract art and historic pieces that owner Lord Peter Palumbo has fashioned into an outdoor sculpture garden at Kentuck Knob, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home that Palumbo has owned since 1986. Wright designed Kentuck Knob in the 1950s for I.N. and Berardine Hagan. Palumbo opened the house to the public for tours in May 1996.
While the interior of the house contains many art treasures, visitors should take care not to miss the wonderful outdoor sculpture garden. In addition to several pieces located around the house, visitors can follow a trail through the woods, around a meadow, back through the woods and just past the visitor’s center into the orchard, where sculptures are carefully laid out for public view. Their locations are chosen specifically by Palumbo himself and all are pieces of his own private collection.
“If you count the Berlin Wall and the kiosks (British telephone booths) as one, we have about 36 pieces,’ said Mahaney, who noted that new pieces are arriving constantly.
Visitors must purchase an admission ticket to tour the outdoor sculpture garden. Admission gives visitors the right to a tour of the house, as well as the grounds. Mahaney said visitors are told to allow two hours to complete both tours. The interior tour comes first, with visitors driven to the house, which stands at 2,050 feet elevation. Those who are walking in the sculpture garden should wear comfortable clothes and shoes, although the walk back to the visitors’ center is not difficult, as visitors walk downhill and on flat ground.
Palumbo, who was a member of the arts council of Great Britain from 1986 to 1994, has brought a variety of art to Kentuck Knob. Many of the artists are British. Several have also been to the property to help place the pieces.
“People come to Kentuck Knob for the architecture, but, as word gets out about the sculpture garden, more and more people are expected to come to see the art,’ said Mahaney.
Visitors can enjoy the sculpture garden any time that Kentuck Knob is open, but a specific art tour is offered by reservation only.
Call for details.
Whether self-guided or on the art tour, visitors may wish to start by noticing two pieces at the house by Wright. They include a copper lamppost, which matches the copper in the roof, in the drive way as well as a signature tile to the right of the front door. Kentuck Knob is one of only 19 buildings that Wright signed.
As you move away from the front of the house, look for “6 Planes,’ created by American artist George Rickey, who died last year and was predominantly known for his kinetic sculptures. This piece consists of six panels of steel on a post that respond to the wind.
“Two Charred Menheirs,’ which translates to the king and queen, was created by British artist David Nash. They are silhouettes comprised of 100-year-old Danish oak. The artist carved the figures, which stand about 15 feet tall, from a fallen tree and then used a blowtorch to char them and applied linseed oil to preserve them.
As you walk around the left side of the house, you’ll see “Corinth,’ named for a town in the Middle East. Designed by British artist Sir Anthony Caro, it is made of steel from a swivel piece that would be found in a shipyard or on a crane. Mahaney noted the artist often works with recycled materials. The piece is painted red.
Another tall sculpture is “Sonambient’ by American artist Harry Bertoia, which is known as reverse wind chimes.
“Some people refer to it as a tonal sculpture,’ explained Mahaney. “It’s a favorite with a lot of our guests. We have three examples: one here (on the side of the house), one on the back terrace and one in the woods. It’s made of beryllium copper.’
Visitors who find the Bertoia in the woods to the east of the house should walk just a bit farther to catch a breathtaking view of the Youghiogheny Gorge. Palumbo also owns the farm and horses, which can be seen below.
Walking back to the house, visitors will find two more sculptures by Caro. Both are steel painted bright yellow. The one closer to the walking path is “Bailey’ while the one closer to the house is “Blow.’ Besides the final Bertoia, the back terrace is also the place where visitors can see American artist Scott Burton’s “Granite Chair’ and “Cor-ten Steel Chair.’ There is also a lingumn, a stone-carved fertility symbol that was placed in temples to the Hindu religion for Shiva, the god/goddess of fertility and destruction.
Follow the flagstones in the yard to the dirt path, which offers visitors a chance to see how Wright put the house into the hill. Veer slightly off the main path to the right to see the prow of the house, which features an 18-foot high wall.
Back on the main path, visitors can see two sculptures by Irish artist Michael Warren, all carved from Irish oak. They include “De-Creation V’ and “Eena Meena Mina Mo.’
After walking through the woods, visitors come to the meadow where Red Army is waiting on the left. Just past “Red Army’ lies “Torso’ by British artist Allen Jones that is also made of steel.
Nearby, Palumbo positioned a French pissoire, a 1917 comfort station (restroom), as well as three King George V K-2 London telephone kiosks. They are British phone booths, dating back to 1935. Another phone booth, dated 1932, is located near the visitors’center.
“These still have the phones and even phone books in them,’ noted Mahaney.
Other pieces in the meadow include “Snake Risen’ by British artist Philip King, made of brown steel; “September Tent,’ another piece by Caro, made of stainless steel; and “Final Blossom,’ by Caro that’s made of rusted steel.
The last piece in the meadow is part of the Berlin Wall. When the wall went down, Palumbo purchased five pieces and brought two to Kentuck Knob. The other piece can be seen along the drive going up to the house.
“It’s art because it is graffiti and it reflects the times – art and history,’ said Mahaney. “As they say, if you don’t study history, you are doomed to repeat it.’
Back into the woods, visitors will come across “The Stone Wall,’ erected on the property in 1992 by British artist Andy Goldsworthy. Visitors can walk through the circular wall into the center where six young trees are growing so the piece looks more a part of nature.
Also off this path in the woods are three ponds: two that host sculptures. The first is a large bronze tortoise, which looks deceptively real. Called “Troilus,’ it was designed by British artist Wendy Taylor. The second is “Three Right Angles’ by George Rickey, which is made of stainless steel and anchored in a pond. It appears to be floating on the water and moves as the wind moves.
“The Garum Distiller’ is a steel piece by artist Alvar Gullichson of Finland and “Sphere on A red Pedestal’ by British artist Peter Hyde are located just before the visitor’s center, which is a greenhouse that was originally at Fallingwater.
Just past the visitor’s center is “Apple Core’ created by Claes Oldenburg, a Swedish-American artist. He was born in Sweden, but lived most of his life in America.
“The absolute favorite with most people is ‘Apple Core,” noted Mahaney. “It’s resin over steel mesh. He takes things from everyday life and blows them up into gigantic proportion and makes them fun.’
Oldenburg’s work includes a clothespin in Philadelphia, a baseball bat in Chicago, a badminton birdie in Kansas City and a free stamp (rubber stamp) in Cleveland.
Into the orchard, visitors can observe “Ruin,’ created from stainless steel in 1989 by Eva Reichl from Austria, who lived a lot of her life in Pittsburgh. She died in 1998.
The staff was in the process of installing a new piece that is actually the top of a roof from a building in London, located at No. 1 Poultry, which dates to 1875.
The building was going to be demolished and Palumbo brought the cupola.
With lush landscapes and wildlife added, Kentuck Knob’s outdoor sculpture garden is a unique way to view pieces of art.
Said Mahaney, “To have this established in Fayette County is wonderful.’
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For more information on the sculpture garden and tours of Kentuck Knob, phone 724-329-1901.