Sculpture Garden at The Muck
Take a stroll on The Muck grounds and enjoy our sculpture garden! Scroll down to learn about the featured artists.
Click here for a downloadable map of the grounds.
The sculpture garden is free, open to the public and does not require a reservation. Parts of the sculpture garden may occasionally be closed for private events.
Elbow Room, 2007 | Painted steel 11’ h., concrete base 22” h. | Bret Price
Photo by Stephanie Pratt
Bret Price is a contemporary sculptor of monumental steel.
Throughout his career, Price has been interested in the challenges of raw material against the forces of nature, first beginning his explorations in clay and gradually working up in size and complexity to reach heights of 35 feet and weighing up to 7.5 tons.
Whether the work is large or small, Bret’s focus is to convey an unexpected sense of movement and balance.
Price has been collected into public and private collections throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, notably the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Pepsico Collection in New York.
“Godot” and “Elbow Room” are on loan from the artist’s collection. See more of Bret’s work at: bretprice.com.
Godot, 2007 | 12 ft. height | Bret Price
Photos by May Nguyen
The Wave | Daniel Miller
Daniel Miller (1947-1993) was born in Maywood, California and earned recognition as a sculptor by his large scale pieces which he classified as “abstract curvilinear.” The artist stated, “I developed my designs simply for the beauty and enjoyment of the forms alone.”
Miller’s interest with metalsmithing was initiated as a child in his grandfather’s radiator repair shop. Following this introduction, Miller’s interest in the broad spectrum of metal work evolved into a special fascination with aluminum and stainless steel.
Artweek Magazine stated that Miller “lends an organic and fanciful twist to an otherwise fundamentally constructivist approach to form. Several of his brushed stainless steel pieces, with their many “scribbles” and “scratches,” give the surface a feeling of depth. As the surface catches the light, these marks become like tubes of writhing color encased within the metal.” (“Artweek,” January 22, 2983)
His sculptures can be seen at the university center at Cal State Fullerton and the Commercial Bank of Korea in Los Angeles.
Miller credited Brancusi, José de Rivierea and Alexander Calder as the artists who greatly influenced his work. And, like these modern artists before him, Miller’s work will have a lasting impression.
Papua New Guinea Story Poles
Eight nineteenth and twentieth century men’s house posts from the Middle Sepik River Region of Papua New Guinea are on display on The Muck grounds. These pieces of history are generously on long term loan from The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana. A display much too large for indoors, ranging from ten to fifteen feet, these poles can be seen on the lawn near the main parking area. The natural beauty of the estate is a fitting location for these poles that are heavily inspired by the natural world. Upon closer inspection, a viewer can see detailed animal and nature carvings.
The poles were created by Latmul craftsmen who lived near the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. The poles were both ornamental and practical. They were used to support the ceremonial Latmul men’s homes. These homes were a center for men to discuss important community matters, socialize, and initiate young boys and men into the various phases of life. When the poles would begin to deteriorate they were retired and left on the outskirts of the village to return to nature. The poles that we have featured for public viewing were among those that could have been retired in this way, but instead they were preserved for their cultural significance.
The poles feature natural elements that would have been observed by the Latmul people living near the Sepik River. This includes crocodiles, fish, flowers, and birds among others. One of the most featured animals seen in these poles is the crocodile which holds a special importance to the Latmul people. According to the Latmul creation story, the heavens and Earth were created from the great ancestral crocodile that split into two. His upper jaw became the heavens and his lower jaw became the Earth. When viewing the poles be sure to stand back to appreciate their striking size as well as look closer to see these intricate details.
UNTITLED | Sofia Enriquez
Sofia Enriquez is a Mexican-American Fine Artist based in the Coachella Valley located in Southern California. Enriquez received her BFA in Communication Arts at Otis College of Art & Design in 2014.
She currently operates from her studio in Cathedral City, CA where she creates works that explore her intercultural identity, symbolism, and feminism.
Her practice consists of murals, large scale paintings, and her fashion collection MUCHO, that consists of one of a kind painted garments. Enriquez’s visual language includes simplified portraiture that is inspired by androgyny, traditional catholic paintings, and “Spanglish” phrases that are used as captions on some of her paintings to comment on her cultural diversity growing up in the United States.
The iconography she uses create a literal way of her storytelling. She weaves bold elements such as Paisley, faces, and other graphics into fluid-like compositions that create the illusion of movement and timelessness.
UNTITLED | Jimmy Centeno
Photo by Daniel Torres
Jimmy Centeno has participated in international conferences on philosophy and aesthetics. He holds an A.A. in Liberal Arts from East L.A. Community College, a B.A. in Latin American Studies from Cal State Los Angeles and is concluding a second Master’s in Art History. He is an active artist and writer. His most recent solo exhibition on October 2019 was titled, “Somos Sur” at the Artcore Center for Arts in downtown Los Angeles, CA.
He has taught art welding workshops throughout the city of Los Angeles. He has coordinated philosophy conferences between community centers and universities. He has curated art exhibits throughout the city of Los Angeles and is the current Curator for Casa0101 Theater in Boyle Heights. He has been a consultant for the Boyle Heights Museum for the past two years.
As an artist he seeks to express himself by using all form of mediums which includes photography, welding, found objects, and painting. His art attempts to narrow the distance between borders, color/race and class. His goal is to bridge and stitch our differences by reducing the distance between us.
If you are interested in purchasing/donating sculpture, scheduling a curatorial walk-through, or presenting works please contact info@themuck.org or 310-403-0531. A portion of all sales will support arts education programs at The Muck.