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Sculpture at the National Garden Festival, Stoke-on-Trent (1986)

Sculpture formed a central theme of the 1986 National Garden Festival in Stoke-on-Trent. More than 100 artists contributed around 120 works, creating one of the largest temporary exhibitions of contemporary sculpture ever staged in Britain.

Installed throughout the site — in gardens, woodland, around lakes, and within exhibition areas — the sculptures formed an integral part of the visitor experience, encouraging exploration and adding a cultural dimension to the landscape.

  • The festival placed particular emphasis on sculpture as a way of linking art with landscape. 

  • The festival’s theme was "Art, Architecture and Landscape Design," featuring a heavy focus on public sculpture and floral displays

  • Works ranged from large-scale permanent pieces to temporary installations made from natural or recycled materials.

  • Some sculptures were designed to last, and a number still survive today, while others were intended as ephemeral works, reflecting the temporary nature of the Festival itself.

  • The list of sculptures here is from a reprint of the May 1986 issue of Art & Design.

 

 


Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 9
photo: Art & Design		 A View. A Place
photos: Art & Design (l),  Sleaford Sue (r)

Henry Moore - bronze (1968) Situated in the Etruria Courtyard. (loaned by the Tate Gallery)

Antony Gormley - lead, fibreglass, plaster (1985/6) Situated on the Woodland Ridge.

One of Antony Gormley's first installations using the form of the human body - looking over the Fowlea Valley, sited at the highest point of Festival. It was sited next to an OS trig point - this area is now completely surrounded by woodland. 

 

"Sculpture at Stoke" 

 

Festival Market, Arena and Amphitheatre

 

 

Artist Title date media
Raf Fulcher and George Carter

A Surprising and Agreeable Entertainment

 1986 Wood, straw, scrim, reeds
Ron Haselden Personae Non Gratae 1986 Aluminium
Roy Kitchin Wellington 1986 Steel, painted
Alf Loehr Monument for Car Parks 1986 Steel, rubber
David Mach Installation for Car Parks 1986 Mixed media
Richard Perry Man with Flowers (Caught in the Wind) 1986 Elm, wood
Andre Wallace The Whisper 1985 Reinforced polyester resin with stainless steel fence

 

 

Formal Gardens:
The History of English Garden Design

 

 

Her Head

Dhruva Mistry 

Resited to the Potteries Way, Hanley

Il Capo (The Boss)

Vincent Worapay 

Remained on the redeveloped site, near to Etruria Hall

Sleeping Moon

Maggie Howarth

in-situ

Tree Thought

Denise de Cordova

Resited to the Stoke-on-Trent Potteries Museum and Art Gallery

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Artist Title date media
Kevin Atherton Sculptural Hedge 1986 Fibreglass
Sokari Douglas Camp Cockerel 1986 Steel
Hilary Cartmel Standing figures I and II 1985 Wood
Peter Cobb Man and Bird; Woman and Moon 1986 Cotswold Hill stone and acrylic
Angela Conner Moss Apple 1986 Steel, cement, moss
Judith Cowan Eagles Passing 1985 Fondue cement
Denise de Cordova Tree Thought 1986 Ancaster stone
Mark Dunhill Forms of Life 1985 Bath stone
Phil Hill Chess Pieces 1986 Mixed media
Maggie Howarth Sleeping Moon 1986 Pebble mosaic
Stephen Marsden Age of Plenty 1986 Bath stone
Barry Mason Helios I 1985 Bath stone
Paul Mason Pebble Leaf 1985 Stone
Dhruva Mistry Her Head 1986 Bronze
Henry Moore Two Piece Reclining Figure No. 9 1968 Bronze (Courtesy of the Tate Gallery)
Cornelia Parker Diadem Fountain 1986 Mixed media
Cathryn Ryall Straw Bear 1986 Maris widgeon wheat
Ian Savage Starlight 1986 Steel
Ian Savage Sunshine 1986 Steel
Yolanda Sonnabend/Mike Clarke/Max Stewart

Lovers' Swing

 1986 Steel, glass, gauze
Elizabeth Tate Heraldic Beasts 1986 Wood, paint
Rosemary Terry Wave Figure 1986 Bath stone
Roderick Tye Call - For My Dominion 1986 Bronze, steel
Ceri Walters

Domesticated Weather Fowl and Fish Sun Dial

 1986 Aluminium and stone
Ceri Walters Fish Sculpture (Tra Lola) 1986 Aluminium
Vincent Worapay II Capo 1986 Brick and glazes

 

 

Woodland Ridge

 

 

Windborn  - The Phoenix

Keir Smith

in-situ

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Artist Title date media
Andrew Darke Sky Wedges 1986 English oak
Nick Deans Barking Dog 1985 Wood, steel, stone
Avtarjeet Dhanjal Along the Trail 1986 Slate, aluminium
Anthony Eve Farm Diagram (The Chicken Section) 1986 Metal, paint
Antony Gormley A View. A Place 1985/6

Lead. fibreglass, plaster

Robert Koenig Rustic Dance 1986 Carved wood
Nick Lloyd Etruscan Landscape: A Sculpture for Etruna. 1986 Ancaster stone and oak
Ondre Nowakowsk Fish Catchers 1986

Carved elm wood, acrylic paint
Denis O'Connor Noon's Ark 1986 Wood, steel
Ana Maria Pacheco Requiem 1986

Portland stone, slate, bronze, steel
Stuart Scoon Memorial 1986 Coal, telegraph poles, steel
Robert Scriven Girl on a Bicycle 1984 Steel
Keir Smith Windborn - The Phoenix 1985/6 Bath stone
Frank Triggs Eagle 1986 Carved wood
Julie Westerman

At the Still Point of the Turning World...There the Dance Is

 1986

Fondue cement, turf and gravel

Richard Wilson Stoke Stack Lightning 1985/6

Steel, car hubs, headlamps, cement

Richard Wincer The English Romantic 1986

Mixed media, wood, resin, bitumen, paint

Gordon Young

Jack and Jill - Ready for the Off: Jack and Jill - The Fall.

 1986 Oak

 

 

Buildings: Main Entrance

"The main entrance designed by Sebire Allsop takes the form of a giant glasshouse, its translucent roof forming a covered concourse, the cool whiteness contrasting agreeably with the greenery and the Festival Banner designed by John Dugger." 

 

Artist Title date media
John Dugger Banner for Main Entrance 1986 Fabric
Tess Jaray Floor in multicoloured brick 1986 Brick pavers

 

 

Lakes: Waterpark and Festival Hall

 

 

Artist Title date media
Alain Ayers Hearts of Oak 1986 Bath stone
Keith Bridgewood Catchstone 1985 Sandstone, steel
Keith Bridgewood Cone 1985 Concrete, steel, wood
Shelagh Cluett Moon Boat - Set Sail for the Sun 1986 Aluminium
Nick Deans Alligators 1986 Wood
Lee Grandjear Stoke Figure 1986 Elm
Bruce McLean Bridgehead/s 1983 Derbyshire limestone
Sarah Tombs The Man at the Fire 1986 Steel
Sarah Tombs Portrait of a Dancer ...Martha Graham 1985 Steel
Pierre Vivant The Coming of Age 1986

Cold-rolled, bright-annealed stainless steel, mild steel, timber, pigment, living tree

 

 

Etruria Pavillion

 

 

Artist Title date media
Paul Coldwell Art through to Science 1984 Bronze
Paul Coldwell Asparagus 1986 Fibreglass
Paul Coldwell Asparagus and Celery 1985 Bath stone
Paul Coldwell Flower, Bow and Scroll 1985

Bath stone and marble

Di Livey Stoke Smoke 1986

Wood, copper, aluminium, canvas, acrylic, wax
John Fuller Acrobat & Dog 1985 Wood
John Fuller Seated Figure with Flowers and Fish 1983 Wood
Nadia Ming Sentinel of the Serpents 1984

Oak. keroin, lime, copper
Cornelia Parker Flying Pot 1984 Plaster, wood, cake tin
Veronica Ryan Apple in Monserrat 1985 Plaster and paint
Veronica Ryan Marina in the Wilderness 1985 Plaster and paint
Julie Westerman What a 'Carrion' 1986 Aluminium

 


Garden of Art

 

 

Artist Title date media
Denise de Cordova Bird Thought 1984 Tufa and wax
Zadok Ben-David Pots are always Cool 1985

Concrete and paint
Jeffrey Dennis Paintings on tree trunks and bollard 1986 Oil
Oriel Harwood Lily Pot 1985 Glazed ceramic
Mark Ingham

'She painted the plates.. but we men always steal the glory'

 1986
Rob Kesseler Gods Rocks 1983 Stone and gravel
Paul de Monchaux Sea Lily 1986 Swaledale fossil stone
Trupti Patel Date Tree 1986 Glazed ceramic
Veronica Ryan Memorial 1984, cast 1986 Bronze
Dean Whatmuff Feather in his Cap 1986

Wood, zinc and copper

Ben Wilson Sculptures in Wood 1986

 


Labyrinth and Rocky Valley

 

 
Artist Title date media
Michael Ayrton The Evolution of the Minotaur 1964 Bronze
Angelo Bordonan Utopia 1986 Stone
Chris Campbell Big Cat 1986 Wood
Siobhan Coppinger The Truant Lion 1986

Ferro-cement, stone, bronze

Steve Field/Mike Dennis Minotaur Gate Iron
Mike Grevatte Minotaur 1986

Thermalite blocks and plaster

Graham Ibbeson Gardener's Rest 1986

Fibreglass and mixed media

Rob Kesseler Natural Selection. 1986 Mixed media
David Petersen Flock of Flamingoes 1985/6

Forged, welded and painted metal
Kerry Trengove

The Philosopher's Servant: Sees the Far Frontier

 1986 Cement, metal

 

 


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Last updated: 5 May 2026 - section completely updated.