3 minute read
INTO THE OUTSIDE
RESIDE
Outdoor sculptures abound in the Naples community in both public and private spaces. From left: Ruth Bloch’s bronze local installation; The Calling by Ian Edwards; Attitude by Ruth Bloch.
INTO THE OUTSIDE FINE ART & Fresh Air
STRIKING SCULPTURES NEED NOT BE CONFINED TO INDOOR SPACES
BY NANCI THEORET
Your home’s alfresco areas are brimming with opportunities for original fine-art sculptures to elevate the intention, introspection, and intrigue of a space while reflecting your taste and personality.
Ani Zimonyi, gallery manager of The Englishman Fine Art in Naples, says art collectors are displaying limited-edition sculptures throughout their outdoor areas. These pieces can be placed in dedicated sculpture gardens; they can also serve as a focal point in a garden or courtyard, a statement piece by a swimming pool, or a grand first impression near a home’s entry. Many of the internationally acclaimed artists represented by the gallery sculpt in gleaming marine-grade stainless steel and bronze—in its purest form or patinaed in wood-like textures—making the works weather- and outdoor-friendly.
“A lot of times, people are thinking about a space and just don’t know what to do with it. They tell us they’ve been looking forever for something for their courtyard or another outdoor area,” says Zimonyi. She adds that The Englishman features outdoor-appropriate pieces ranging from 14 inches to more than 6.5 feet tall. “They’ll use our bigger pieces in a courtyard and the smaller pieces mounted into the pool, ledge, or a niche.”
The gallery helps clients identify the best locations for sculptures as well as placement for optimal viewing, natural sunlight, and nighttime illumination. These fine-art sculptures can set the mood for each space. For example, Israeli sculptor Ruth Bloch’s elongated bronze figures express joy and optimism and New York artist Jim Rennert’s figural bronzes convey whimsical tonguein-cheek humor, while Czech Republic–born, Florida-based sculptor Peter Garaj’s smaller-scale, ultra-contemporary, industrial stainless-steel forms echo the sleek architectural aesthetic and interior design now popular in Naples homes.
“You have to consider how a sculpture will interact with its space,” explains Zimonyi. Stainless steel tends to stand out and brighten an area, while natural bronze is more likely to blend into a landscaped background.
Works by Bloch, Rennert, and Garaj have a public outdoor presence spread out along Fifth Avenue South as part of the 30-piece sculpture walk created from the private collection of Naples entrepreneurs and philanthropists David and Jerri Hoffmann. These sculptures, says Zimonyi, are often a starting point for patrons in search of that elusive statement piece.
Rennert’s works poking lighthearted fun at corporate America are particularly popular with Naples-based former CEOs and their spouses, says Zimonyi, noting these customers purchase 24- to 36-inch-tall Rennert maquettes to display on pedestals
in a courtyard. The former business leaders “relate to Jim’s sculptures because they used to be like that before they retired to Naples,” she says.
Bloch celebrates love and family in her Long Fellows figurative bronze collections, with recent works incorporating bright paint colors in balloons, clothing, and handbags. Her full-size seated figures are ideal for low-slung gardens and open-air sitting areas in need of a vertical focal point. Her limited-edition, 34-inch-tall High Rise series features a gold-patinaed feminine form perched atop a gold-finished base resembling wood.
The gallery also represents British artist Ian Edwards, whose evocative, often esoteric bronze figurative sculptures explore the emotions and aspirational endeavors of the human spirit. His works, which capture the journey of life in a deeply contemplative manner, include the 5.25-foot Leap Within Faith, a swan-diving feminine nude, and The Calling, a 6-foot male form seemingly emerging from the primordial ooze. Says Zimonyi, “The Calling is certainly a piece for a collector who can associate with evolving from the earth—perhaps a metamorphosis or evolution of the soul. It is certainly powerful.”
The gallery’s limited-edition, original fineart sculptures, with 2 to 15 pieces in a series, range from $9,000 to about $150,000. “These are all stellar works that draw attention,” Zimonyi says. «
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ENGLISHMAN FINE ART
The Englishman Fine Art gallery in Naples represents many sought-after artists, including Ruth Bloch, sculptor of the limitededition, 34-inch-tall High Rise (left).
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