Concrete Kingdom: Sculptures by Nek Chand September 6, 2006

This exhibit showcases the work of this visionary self-taught artist from India, whose thousands of cement animal and human sculptures occupy a 25-acre site-specific art installation, the Rock Garden , in Chandigarh, India. The American Folk Art Museum recently acquired 29 works from a miniature garden Nek Chand built for the National Children's Museum, in Washington, D.C. (currently relocating). These sculptures, along with 5 already in the museum's collection, will be featured in groupings on tiered pedestals, echoing the design of the original Rock Garden. Large-scale photographic images will demonstrate the grand scale of the world's largest and most significant folk art environment. The exhibition will also examine how Nek Chand has adjusted his private vision into a public one and how the mission of the Rock Garden has adapted to reflect the needs of its community.