Sculpture: On the Grounds

The Art Complex Museum is situated on 13 acres that include fields, woods, and a small pond. Since opening in 1971, outdoor sculpture installations have extended the gallery spaces of the museum throughout the property. The museum grounds host both temporary installations and permanent exhibits.

Seeking Higher Ground
20-foot tall, bamboo, zip ties, reflector, spray paint, oil cloth, 2019

The enormous Blue Jay near the museum entrance is a collaboration between well-known Maynard, Massachusetts sculptors The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein. Dodson is inspired by the mysterious nature of animals. Moerlein derives inspiration from events in the natural world that leave visual marks which strike a narrative chord.

According to folklore tradition, the Blue Jay is symbolic of clarity of thought and taking action. Seeking Higher Ground, says its creators, is a clarion call to heed the warning signs of climate change and its affects. It reflects a hope that humans can unite to affect those changes needed to adapt and survive, like the Blue Jay does.

Although monumental in scale, this work, as others they have created, is temporary in nature. Made from natural materials, it is site-specific and responds to the local audience. Meant to last five years, at most, it will appear, fade, and disappear, adding a chapter to the life stories in Duxbury.

Other artists exhibited On the Grounds.

David Bakalar
Kristine Brennen
Rick Brown
Christopher Frost
George Greenamyer
Michio Ihara
Marjorie Javan
Miriam Knapp
George McGoff
Nishimura
David Phillip
Nora Valdez
Kitty Wales
Leslie Wilcox