Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden

Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden is a private sculpture park located in the Hesselnberg district of Wuppertal, Germany. It was established by the British-German sculptor Tony Cragg, who acquired the abandoned Waldfrieden estate in 2006 and transformed its historic villa and grounds into a permanent exhibition space for outdoor sculpture. The park opened to the public in September 2008 and is operated by the Cragg Foundation, a non-profit foundation founded by the Cragg family in 2005. The park covers approximately 14 hectares of mixed deciduous forest, dominated by red beech, and features a collection of around 40 outdoor sculptures by Tony Cragg and other internationally renowned artists. The grounds include the historic Villa Waldfrieden, three exhibition halls of different ages, and a café. The landscape design follows plans originally created by architect Franz Krause for the villa's former owner, chemist Kurt Herberts. Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden serves as both a museum and a cultural venue, hosting rotating exhibitions of contemporary sculpture, lectures, and educational programs. It is a member of the European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN) and the Straße der Gartenkunst zwischen Rhein und Maas. The park's presentation concept, developed by Cragg, organizes art display into three types: the 'green cube' for outdoor works, the 'white cube' for indoor exhibitions with diffused light, and the 'glass cube' for works shown with natural light and views of the surroundings. The Cragg Foundation, based in Wuppertal, is a recognized non-profit foundation dedicated to art and culture. It supports the park's operations, as well as research and publications on visual arts. The foundation is led by a board including Tatjana Cragg as chair, Tony Cragg as deputy chair, and Michael Brämer.

Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden was founded by the British-German sculptor Tony Cragg, who was born in Liverpool in 1949. After a career in art and academia, Cragg sought a permanent outdoor exhibition space for sculpture. In 2006, he acquired the abandoned Waldfrieden estate in Wuppertal, which included a historic villa and overgrown grounds. The estate had previously belonged to chemist Kurt Herberts, who lived there from the late 1940s until his death in 1989. The garden architecture and pathways were originally designed by architect Franz Krause. Cragg initiated a comprehensive renovation of the park and buildings, preserving as much of the historic substance as possible while adapting the site for its new use. The park opened to the public in September 2008, under the ownership of the Cragg Foundation, a non-profit foundation established by the Cragg family in 2005 and legally recognized on 13 December 2005. In 2012, Cragg acquired an additional 5 hectares of forest south of the park from the city of Wuppertal in exchange for a wooded area on the other side of Buschstraße. This expansion allowed for the creation of new paths and a second exhibition hall, which opened on 20 September 2013. In May 2013, the park was admitted to the European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN). A third, oval exhibition hall was completed and opened in October 2017 in the expanded forest area. The park's design concept reflects Cragg's philosophy of 'Second Nature,' where culture is seen as an extension of nature. He developed a presentation concept with three types of exhibition spaces: the 'green cube' for outdoor sculptures, the 'white cube' for indoor works with diffused light, and the 'glass cube' for works shown with natural light and views outside. The park is home to a growing collection of sculptures, including works by Tony Cragg and other artists such as Eduardo Chillida, Mario Merz, Jean Dubuffet, and John Chamberlain. The Cragg Foundation continues to operate the park, organizing rotating exhibitions, lectures, and educational programs. It also supports research and publications in the visual arts. The foundation is governed by a board comprising Tatjana Cragg (chair), Tony Cragg (deputy chair), and Michael Brämer.

• 2017

  Third, oval exhibition hall opens in October.

• 2013

  Second exhibition hall opens on 20 September; park joins the European Garden Heritage Network in May.

• 2012

  Tony Cragg acquires an additional 5 hectares of forest for park expansion.

• 2009

  Prominent visitors including NRW Minister-President Jürgen Rüttgers visit the park in August.

• 2008

  Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden opens to the public in September.

• 2006

  Tony Cragg acquires the abandoned Waldfrieden estate and begins renovation.

• 2005

  Cragg Foundation founded by the Cragg family and legally recognized on 13 December.

A private, non-profit sculpture park and museum offering a unique blend of art and nature in a historic landscape, focusing on contemporary sculpture.

• Permanent sculpture collection

  Around 40 outdoor sculptures by Tony Cragg and other artists.

• Rotating exhibitions

  Temporary exhibitions of international artists, such as 'Farbe, Farbe!' and Tony Cragg - New Works.

• Guided tours

  Guided tours of the park and exhibitions.

• Café Podest

  An excursion café located on the grounds.

• Online shop

  Sells digital tickets, exhibition catalogs, and other items.

1. 1Skulpturenpark Waldfrieden official websiteskulpturenpark-waldfrieden.de
2. 2Cragg Foundation pageskulpturenpark-waldfrieden.de
3. 3Wikidata entrywikidata.org
4. 4German Wikipedia articlede.wikipedia.org