The milkweed plinth is the centrepiece of Gunguo Sculpture Farm, situated on the summit of a prominent ridge in a meadow of wildflowers. Work displayed here will be the first to greet arriving visitors, and will be visible across long vistas from the farmhouse, sculpture workshop, and sections of the sculpture trail. 

An 8-ton, reinforced concrete foundation is already in place, reaching 2 meters below grade and rising one meter above. This will act as an enormous counterweight to sculptures up to 6 meters in height.

The plinth itself will be clad in hazel granite. From afar, it will blend in with surrounding vegetation. Displayed work will appear to float above the wildflowers, including a large population of milkweed which attracts the endangered monarch butterfly each fall. Visitors who approach closer will marvel at the large scale of the installed work which will tower above them. 

The milkweed pedestal will be illuminated from three sides by solar-powered lights (including a whimsical cast-iron lamppost) which will make it stand out during concerts, weddings and special events.

At the entrance to our 4 acre “lilac maze,” this pedestal will  reverberate with birdsong and the intoxicating scent of lilacs in May.

A sinuous, organically-shaped limestone plinth will rise approximately 70cm above the concrete foundation which is already in place and anchored to the bedrock. This will add elevation and impact to displayed work, allowing it to be visible at a distance from the parking area. The Sculpture displayed here will draw visitors towards the entrance to the sculpture trail and be the first monumental-scale piece that they encounter. The plinth is engineered to accept work up to 4 meters and 8 tons.

This pedestal occupies the intersection of two branches of the sculpture trail, a sort of crossroads where visitors either continue down towards the lowland area which will eventually support a pond and wetland, or instead circle around to the farmhouse and the future site of our sculpture workshop. It is set against a stand of wild yellow goldenrod, providing a long-lived, brilliant backdrop in the late summer and fall.   

A concrete foundation is already in place. Anchored directly to the bedrock, it will accept work of almost any size and weight. The plinth will be installed at roughly ground level. A softscaped base will allow visitors to approach and directly interact with installed work. On the downhill side it will rise approximately 30 cm above grade, where it will be clad in natural limestone. Visitors approaching from the lowland area will be exposed to an interesting perspective where the work appears to perch above them.