Located on the southside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park feature over 40 large-scale sculptures on 33-acres of open park space. Providing visitors with the space to do everything from have a picnic to fly a kite to interact with monumentous sculptures, the Sculpture Fields have fulfilled multiple visions around what it can mean to transform an empty space into something that benefits an entire community and draws attention from across the world.
From Park to Landfill to Attraction
In 1911, Mary Thayer Montague donated 49 acres of land to the City of Chattanooga for the creation of a park. The space was developed as one, but would eventually be misused as a construction landfill in the 1940s. Further mishandling of the area saw it utilized for various recreational activities including kite competitions, motocross racing and softball tournaments. This misuse resulted in the park being shut down in 2003 due to environmental concerns.
The shuttering of the park created an opportunity that world-renowned sculptor John Henry recognized. Henry, a resident of Chattanooga for multiple decades, proposed a plan for a sculpture park that would totally transform the space. He envisioned a park that would be filled with works of art from artists around the globe. He then led a grassroots effort to make it a reality.
The result saw the creation of a public-private partnership between the City of Chattanooga and 501c3 Sculpture Fields at Montague Park. The park was completely restored with walking paths for outdoor recreation, family-friendly events and a collection of sculptures from internationally recognized artists.
Now serving as the largest sculpture park in the Southeast and one of Chattanooga’s premier tourist destinations, the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park have made a major impact on the community by featuring sculptures that visitors can connect with and that are tied to the Chattanooga community in numerous ways.
Sculptures with Chattanooga Connections
The Sculpture Fields were designed to foster and encourage creativity through monumental sculpture exhibitions, diverse recreational and educational offerings. A map of the park showcases how all of these offerings have been enabled thanks to the pieces that connect with audiences on multiple levels.
“Anchors” is a steel and concrete monument from by Peter Lundberg that honors the five military service members who laid down their lives in service to their community, their brothers-in-arms and to their country in an attack on July 16, 2015 in Chattanooga. The names of each person are memorialized on a nearby marker. A time capsule that is to be opened in 2115 is also buried nearby.
“Composer” from Heinz Aeschlimann has become one of the more notable pieces in the park, highlighting what the combination of pristine engineering with unabashed creativity can look like. “The Least Amount of Space” from Jason Kimes is one of the few figurative pieces in the Sculpture Fields, while “One” from George Schroeder looks like it’s a tool that has ties to Chattanooga’s history as a major industrial and manufacturing center. “Granite Windows” from Jesús Moroles encourages direct audience engagement while John Henry’s “Bette Davis Eyes” is an example of the type of large sculpture forged in steel that he creates in his nearby studio.
Featuring work from other artists like Mark di Suvero, Linda Howard, Albert Paley, Doug Schatz and more, visitors can hear from all of these sculptors themselves via a visitor engagement tool. These connections have further cultivated a sense of connection with the community that has created multiple economic benefits.
Events, Economy and More
A pavilion space provides visitors with a place where they can have a picnic or relax, helping to cultivate a sense of community. Educational events, where visitors can interact with the sculpture and schoolchildren and families visit the park, further define this sense of connection but they’re just one of the types of events that are held at the Sculpture Fields on a regular basis.
The Sculpture Fields were always intended to be an economic generator and that impact can be directly seen in the events that are scheduled in the park. Music, food, liquor tents, kid activities and live entertainment are just a few of the activities that take place on a regular basis. Specific happenings like Spring into Sculpture, Sculptures in the Sky, Sculpture Spark and the Sculpture Train Excursion provide a means of direct revenue for organizers.
As an additional means of revenue, donations are easy to make to the non-profit, as the organizers rely on sponsorships and donations to maintain the park, acquire new works and continue the work of expanding the walkways and landscaping. Also, the Anchors’ Society, named after Lundberg’s famous piece, is part of the Friends of the Field, which is an annual contribution program supporting the Sculpture Fields at Montague Park.
Featured in countless guides to the city, the park has become an international destination of cultural tourism but also a refuge for residents. The Sculpture Fields have also helped create a unique spot for economic growth that has resulted in proposals for the development of nearby land, further transforming the space in a positive manner.
All of this interest and activity has resulted in the creation of community resources and even promotional materials. All of this underscores the impact that the transformation of the space has had on the present and future of Chattanooga.
Adding to the Legacy of Chattanooga
Free for all to visit, the creation of Sculpture Fields at Montague Park has truly fulfilled the original vision of the space. The Sculpture Fields have added to the legacy of Chattanooga by further enhancing the cultural and economic activity of the community, creating an attraction that resonates with residents and visitors.
