THE ARTS
Seward Johnson Sculptures Turn
By Diane C . Walsh Editor
Public art has been known to raise eyebrows . But in Spring Lake it ’ s getting stares , double-takes , and even calls to the police station .
Sixteen life-sized bronze sculptures done by the late Seward Johnson were installed in the downtown and at the train station in this picturesque Jersey Shore community . Each sculpture depicts a moment in everyday life in amazing detail .
There ’ s a young woman in “ Summer Thinking ” sprawled on the lawn writing in her notebook outside the library with her shoes off . Her sweater is so vivid , the weave of the fabric is visible . In “ Holier Than Thou ” a nattily-dressed gentleman is making sure some odious garbage is disposed of properly . The wire-frame litter basket looks like it could be on any street corner . And in “ Relish , Too ?” the street vendor will have your mouth watering for a hot dog .
“ Seward delighted in creating a sense of wonder and discovery in happenstance ,” said Lynn DeClemente Losavio , program officer at the Seward Johnson Atelier , which is the exclusive owner of the copyright of Johnson ’ s works and is committed to educating the public about his artistic legacy .
Seward Johnson was the grandson of Robert Wood Johnson , the co-founder of Johnson & Johnson , the giant healthcare company headquartered in New Brunswick . Seward Johnson , who died in at the age of 89 in 2020 , founded the Grounds for Sculpture , a 42-acre sculpture park and museum in Hamilton . He was acclaimed for his trompe l ’ oiel painted bronze statues .
The Spring Lake exhibit resulted from a collaboration between the Atelier and the Spring Lake Business Improvement District ( BID ). Residents and visitors to the borough ’ s downtown can enjoy the sculptures through January .
Councilwoman Syd Whalley , a co-curator of the exhibit , “ fell in love ” the sculptures during a visit to the Grounds for Sculpture . When she saw some of them on display in Toms River , she was committed to bringing the statues to her hometown . The councilwoman said they are perfect for a small four-block downtown and a great boost for the business community because of the foot-traffic they promote .
This is the third time the sculptures have been installed . With the exceptions of two statues , each time a different group has been on display . Dawn McDonough , executive director of the Spring Lake BID and co-curator of the exhibit , said the whole borough is excited to have the collection again .
“ I ’ m personally looking forward to the fun we ’ ll have with Johnson ’ s sculpture , Embracing Peace , in the center of town . Many people know this sculpture from “ The Kiss ,” also known as “ V-J Day in Times Square ,” Alfred Eisentaedt ’ s iconic photograph of the World War II sailor kissing a nurse ,” McDonough said .
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