Sculpture garden

Sculpture from the late 19th and 20th century occupies an important place in the Kröller-Müller Museum. One of the largest in Europe, the sculpture garden covers 25 hectares and accommodates a unique collection of sculptures. In the setting of an variegated landscape, a fascinating profile of sculptural art from the end of the 19th century up to the present day is displayed. Amongst others represented, there are exceptional pieces by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, Barbare Hepworth, Richard Serra, Mario Merz, Jean Dubuffet and Claes Oldenburg.

Click here for a map of the museum and the sculpture garden

Ana Maria Tavares Secrets of the waters

Jun 16, 2009 - Jun 16, 2010

A new five-piece work of art by Brazilian artist Ana Maria Tavares (1958) is on display in the sculpture garden from April 23 2009.

Tavares gets her inspiration from the context of her surroundings. In this work her inspiration is water, particularly the manner in which water is present in the surrounding area. Water symbolises the source of life and the power of nature. For the exhibition 'Sonsbeek 2008: grandeur', Tavares created her work of art Secrets of the waters. During her research in the surrounding area Tavares discovered 81 springs and brooks around the Veluwe. Five underground water junctions, so-called ‘fountainheads’, were marked by large round mirrors with stone edgings bearing the mantra ´Desire, Deserve, Delight, Still Life, Sparkling Water, Still Water, Sparkling Life’. This mantra refers to longing and to life.
The Kröller-Müller Museum purchased the five mirrors with mantra with the support of the BankGiro Lottery and Ana Maria Tavares personally chose a new spot for the works in the museum’s sculpture garden. Once again, the works are positioned on five underground water junctions.

Until September 20th 2009, the works Crystal Waters and The Wish-Ribbon Net by Tavares are on display in one of the temporary exhibition spaces in the museum’s Van de Velde wing. Crystal Waters is made of coloured, mirroring layers of Perspex. The mantra was also woven into the ribbons of the banner The Wish-Ribbon Net, which was carried in the Procession of Sonsbeek.