We’re excited to announce our new sculpture garden will be named the Patricia M. Jurgensen Sculpture Garden, to be known as Patty’s Garden, in honor of Patricia M. “Patty” Jurgensen. Patty Jurgensen, long-time CMA Trustee and co-chair of the Museum’s Art Matters Endowment and Capital Campaign, passed away in February of this year.
Patty Jurgensen was passionate about art and about preserving the Museum for future generations.
She was elected to the Columbus Museum of Art Board of Trustees in 2001. She served as Secretary of the Board in 2006 and 2007 and as Vice President from 2008 – 2010. With their Co-Chairs Ann S. and Thomas E. Hoaglin, Patty and her husband Jerry Jurgensen, former CEO of Nationwide, led the Art Matters campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the Museum’s history.
“I’m incredibly sad that Patty won’t be here to celebrate the opening of the new wing she helped build, but to name the garden after her is incredibly important,” said Nannette V. Maciejunes, CMA Executive Director. “Patty’s Garden is a warm, welcoming space. I imagine a great deal of life happening here, lunches with friends on the patio, quiet walks through the birches, and weddings on the lawn. I think Patty would appreciate that.”
The new garden, located on the north side of the Museum, was designed by MKSK, a Columbus-based landscape architecture firm. The garden features four sections: the patio located off the Museum’s new restaurant, Schokko Art Café, the Sycamore Grove, the Event Lawn and the Birch Walk.
Patty’s Garden will also be home to several works from the Museum’s collection including: Susan Philipsz’s Study for Strings the first sound sculpture in CMA’s collection, Aristide Maillol’s The Mountain, and George Rickey’s Two Lines Up Excentric Variation VI.
The garden’s sustainable design and water conservation features have earned it a Green Spot designation by the City of Columbus. Patty’s Garden uses native and naturalized plant material, features crushed aggregate paving that is permeable and reduces runoff, and also has water retention system.
Patty’s Garden, along with the Museum’s new Margaret M. Walter wing, will open to the public with a Community Grand Opening, presented by PNC Arts Alive on Sunday, October 25. The event marks the completion of the third and final phase of the Museum’s Art Matters campaign.
(Photo: by Brad Feinknopf of the new sculpture garden and Aristide Maillol’s The Mountain).
