THE WAY

One of the two best known works at Laumeier Sculpture park is The Way, completed by Alexander Liberman in 1980. It was constructed from 18 salvaged steel oil tanks, is 65 feet / 20 meters tall, 102 feet / 31 meters wide and 100 feet  30.5 meters deep and weighs 55 US tons (50 metric). The work dominates the central lawn. It is hard to get a sense of scale but for the tiny person at the center left edge.          

The Way

The other object that everyone remembers after a visit to Laumeier Sculpture Park is Alexander Lieberman's The Way. These photos lack scale since no one is walking by. The diameter of the tube flat on the ground is greater than my height, and I'm rather tall.

The pieces are made from disused oil tanks that are painted cadmium red. I sometimes imagine legions of people whose jobs were lost to automation marching through.

Remember, supermoon tonight.                 

The Way

One of the most popular sculptures at Laumeier and my personal favorite is Alexander Liberman's The Way. The monumental work was designed for the site. Everyone has different interpretations. To me, it looks like an enormous, ruined gateway from a lost civilization, possibly ancient, possibly alien, placed in St. Louis for safekeeping. The park's website refers to the guns of a giant battleship. Either way, it conveys disarray and power. Maybe it is a metaphor for inevitable decay.          

The Way

The Way is the most massive work in Laumeier Sculpture Park.The name suggests religious fervor and conviction to me, the one path to salvation, nirvana or perfection. Except that there are so many ways, and so many incompatible with one another. You can see a picture of the whole thing and learn a bit about it on the park's web site here. It is as imposing as certainty.

I mentioned that yesterday afternoon was the closing performance of the St. Louis Symphony's 2012-2013 season. They played Act III of Alban Berg's Wozzeck (gee, it must have been miserable to walk around all day being Alban Berg) and the Beethoven 9th. OMG, as they say. This may be a second or third-tier city but we certainly have a first-tier orchestra. It's a treasure.         

Red Shooter

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Son Andy and friend Clair were in town from Chicago last weekend. He does one of the DPBs from that city. One of the tour stops was Laumeier Sculpture Park. Although climbing on the sculpture is frowned upon the kid will clamber up more or less anything, including The Way, the biggest work in the place. Haven't seen the shots he got.

On the road to Kansas City today and on to the farm tomorrow.

Downtown St. Louis 365 is full of lies.