Art worth millions
– the story of billund sculpture park

2010: Applications have been submitted to a large number of foundations concerning the Alfio Bonanno sculpture, now referred to as ‘Stella B’.

 

The 2010 summer exhibition has been planned.

 

2009: Peter Ambeck-Madsen, one of the initiators of the Billund Sculpture Park project, driving force and member of the Working Group from its first tentative efforts, dies in February 2009.

 

2008: Purchase and unveiling of Dream, Live, Play (Thomas Kruse, inspired and assisted by approx. 70 children from the Art Department) for DKK 175,000 – financed by Ole Kirk’s Fund. Ingvar Cronhammar's Park Bench IV from 2007 (no. 2 of a total of seven versions) is unveiled in June. The work (valued at DKK 320,000) is donated by Camilla and Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. Installation of the work is carried out and donated by the local company K.G. Hansen and Sons.

The Sculpture Working Group.

 

2007: Partnership with the artist Thomas Kruse and the Art Department at Billund Municipal Music and Culture School. Thomas Kruse and the pupils are to create a mosaic pyramid gate for the start of the Sculpture Park at Nordmarksvej.

 

2005 and 2006: In May 2005, the Working Group sends the Mayor of the Municipality of Billund a written proposal for a small change to the pathway and installation of lighting along the path through the Sculpture Park. The proposal also looks forward to the large tourism plans for the outskirts of the city (Lalandia Billund). Due to financial constraints and the amalgamation of the municipalities in Denmark, the proposal is only discussed again in 2007 and 2008 when the Billund Trade Association has presented its ideas for the Sculpture Park. The Working Group discusses several lighting options, pathway layouts and path surfaces at several meetings.

 

The Working Group formulates a defined vision for the Sculpture Park:

”Our vision is to give local people, tourists and hotel guests visual experiences of high artistic quality. This will be done by the acquisition/hiring/exhibition of a wide range of robust, weatherproof sculptures ranging from traditional works in granite, iron, steel and bronze to ceramics, land art and other forms of expression. It is our vision that the Billund Sculpture Park should become one of the best in Denmark and thereby help to put Billund both on the map of Denmark and the world.

It is our vision – over time – to add a further 20-30 sculptures of varying size to the area.”

 

In 2006 the logo is redesigned and the signage renewed to make it more readable. Planning takes time - a unique land art project.

 

Already in the summer of 2005, the internationally renowned land artist Alfio Bonanno (he lives and works in Rudkøbing) visits Billund Sculpture Park. He has been on the wish list for a couple of years and an excellent partnership commences. Several meetings are held and exciting project proposals for a land art sculpture at Billund Brook, many contractor and technical calculations, geotechnical surveys, neighbourhood hearings and a physical model for presentation of the project are put forward. More evaluations and assessments are completed, but 2009 is the year in which the Working Group will apply to some of Denmark's largest funds to realise the project which will make Billund Sculpture Park world-class.

 

2004: With the kind support of DKK 50,000 from the Municipality of Billund it is possible to hire, transport and install six sculptures for a four-month summer exhibition. The Ikast artist Jens Christian Jensen presents five exciting, abstract sculptures in granite. Gunhild Rudjord and Esben Lyngsaa Madsen exhibit Pentagonia which comprises blue faience tiles and an iron plinth.

 

Pentagonia (DKK 190,000) is successfully purchased – with support from the Municipality of Billund, Ole Kirk’s Fund, Den Jyske Sparekasse and the County of Ribe - as is one of Jens Christian Jensen's sculptures described as 'Granite on Columns' (DKK 100,000).

 

2003: The Billund Sculpture Park Working Group is called in for a meeting by Kurt Jepsen, Commercial Director of the Municipality at the time.

Work is commenced in partnership with Billund Art Association.

The amount of DKK 65,000 is used during the year to renew signage in a more robust form by individual sculptures and to erect three new, high entry and halfway signs. Produced and partly sponsored by MODULEX Danmark A/S, Billund. The Working Group discusses future perspectives and options: To find suitable artists and 1-2 wish-list sculptures for the Sculpture Park already for 2004 – and to obtain the required funds from local business and the Municipality of Billund (and the County of Ribe as it was then). Both the Municipality of Billund and Ole Kirk’s Fund are positive about the resumption of activities. The Group must still apply for financial support on a case-by-case basis. The Municipality of Billund also views favourably a horticultural overhaul of grass, shrubbery and trees. The landscaping renovation work is completed the same year.

 

2001: Purchase of Welcome to My World (Pontus Kjerrmann) for DKK 150,000 – financed 50-50 by the LEGO Company and the Municipality of Billund.

 

1998-2000: No activity due to cash shortages.

The various MODULEX signs are regularly the target of vandals.

 

1997: Purchase of The Garden Woman (Lotte Olsen) for DKK 65,000.

 

1996: DKK 100,000 from the Municipality of Billund.

Purchase of Horizon (Thorkild Hoffmann) for DKK 100,000.

 

1995: Large summer exhibition with 17 works of art created on-site by students at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Art in Copenhagen. The LEGO Groups provides DKK 50,000.

Great interest and local debate for/against several works – as well as some vandalism.

Purchase of A Meeting (Hans August Andersen) for DKK 180,000 – of which DKK 30,000 come from the Art Committee of the County of Ribe.

 

1994: DKK 100,000 from the Municipality of Billund.

Summer exhibition with five own works and six hired sculptures.

In the exhibition press release, the Working Group sets out its vision for the acquisition of a total of 25-35 sculptures over a number of years.

Purchase of Divan (Claus Fisker Andersen) for DKK 100,000.

Korsager Grafisk Design, Esbjerg designs the sculpture park logo.

 

1993: Summer exhibition: 23 hired sculptures and a budget of DKK 125,000. The LEGO Group sponsors the exhibition and MODULEX Danmark A/S produces signs at cost price. Other local companies also support the exhibition.

The LEGO Group purchases The Star Animal (Harvey Martin) for DKK 350,000 and Three Play Sculptures (Poul Bækhøj) for DKK 250,000. The Municipality purchases the bronze female Standing Figure (Keld Moseholm Jørgensen) for DKK 275,000.

 

1992: DKK 100,000 from the Municipality for art in 1992 – and an undertaking from the LEGO Group to match this amount. In 1993, a summer exhibition is planned with hired sculptures. Svend Holm Larsen, the director of Vejen Art Museum at the time, acts as consultant. Purchase and erection of The Ark (Lis Andersen). Price: DKK 200,000 paid for by the Municipality.

 

1991: In January Group 4 plans what is later given the name of Billund Sculpture Park. Purpose: To give the city's inhabitants, the citizens of the Municipality of Billund, tourists and hotel guests an artistic experience in the beautiful natural surroundings of the public park along Billund Brook between Billund Trotting Course/Enggård School and the Skovparken area/tennis courts. Later extended also to include the area along the Billund Centre parallel to Skolevej.

In March, the Municipality of Billund gives the go-ahead for the project – and the path along the Brook is reinforced. The first sculpture called Entry (Niels Peter Bruun Nielsen) is erected. Purchase price: DKK 250,000 paid for by the Municipality. Alfio Bonanno's sculpture The Blue Stone, which is on loan, is removed after several incidents of vandalism and is destroyed for insurance reasons.

 

1990: The Billund Initiative Group (BIG) under Billund Commercial and Trade Association and the Trade Department call a meeting about 'decoration of the city' in September. Project Group 4 is set up with Erik Møller Nielsen as chairman. Members are: Chairman of the Culture Committee Henning Kristensen, Peter Ambeck-Madsen as representative of the LEGO Group, Jens Poulsen as representative of the LEGOLAND Park, Flemming Washuus as representative of the city's retail trade and the artist Ingrid Kathrine Villesen, Bjarne Jakobsen and Bøje Sørensen as representatives of the citizens of Billund and Vorbasse.

The municipal Art Committee from 1987 is abolished – but in the 1991 budget the Municipality sets aside DKK 250,000 for art acquisitions.

 

1989: Alfio Bonanno's Construction with Blue Fragment - popularly called The Blue Stone - is erected (on loan) in front of the residential care home.

Rejections from both the New Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish Arts Foundation for applications for support for art in Billund. Bikuben Bank in Billund donates DKK 50,000. Naturgas Syd will support the project with a 300-metre gas pipe (and gas, if required) in the centre of the city if Hans Krull's proposal for a fire-breathing dragon fountain is realised. The Art Decoration Project is removed from the Municipality's budget due to cut-backs.

 

1988: Flash artists Per Kramer, Leif Mikkelsen, Hans Krull and Alfio Bonanno present specific sketch proposals. The LEGO Group undertakes to finance the project 50-50 when/if the Municipality agrees to partner the project. The Municipality of Billund sets aside DKK 250,000 a year for the purchase of art for the coming four-year period.

 

1987: The debate continues and the Municipality of Billund sets up an Art Committee. Peter Ambeck-Madsen and Ingrid Kathrine Villesen, members of this Art Committee, later become members of the Sculpture Park Working Group.

 

1986: A debate is initiated in the local press about art-covered city gates on all approach roads to Billund.