The Donum Estate in Sonoma County, California is a certified organic (CCOF), sustainable vineyard specializing in award-winning Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. It is also home to an esteemed private collection of outdoor sculptures created by the most celebrated artists in the world.
It’s taken me over a year to sort through all the images I captured at The Donum Estate where I was treated to a tour and wine tasting with my son last December. But, as they say about fine wine, I think this edit has gotten better with age.
“Love Me” by Richard Hudson
First up is this 28-foot mirror polished, stainless steel sculpture by Richard Hudson. Situated on the highest point of the vineyard, its commanding view reflects the surrounding grounds below and the majestic sky above.
"Soma" by Subodh Gupta
The title refers to the Vedic ambrosia, a drink the gods believed would give them vigor and immortality.
“People Tree” by Subodh Gupta
Thousands of ordinary stainless-steel dishes and pots intricately meld to form a giant banyan tree. The banyan is sacred in India, and is considered a symbol of eternal life and knowledge.
“Black Tree” by Douglas White
“Mikado Tree” by Pascale Marthine Tayou
The monumental sculpture composed of aluminum and concrete represents the universal game of Mikado (a.k.a. pickup sticks) with roots tracing back to ancient China. When the slim wooden sticks are released, they form a jumbled, sharp circle much like the top of the "Mikado Tree". For Tayou, Mikado is a symbol of cultural connection - a game that has traveled across many cultures and generations without borders.
“Mohn und Gedächtnis“ (Poppy and Memory)” by Anselm Kiefer
A life-sized sculpture of an aircraft, made of lead and zinc, and made to look old and battered on the outside. It is modeled after a 20th-century warplane owned by the artist himself.
“Love” by Robert indiana
"Circle of Animal Heads/Zodiac Heads" by Ai Weiwei
A circle of 12 animal heads represent the signs of the Chinese zodiac. An illustration of each animal head decorates the labels of Donum’s Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays corresponding with the vintage year of each wine.
“Contemporary Terracotta Warriors” by Yue Minjun
You’ll want to take your hands off your ears at this site specific sculpture–an oversized wind chime installed in a eucalyptus grove. Measuring forty-five feet in diameter and nearly twelve feet in height, 365 stainless-steel pipes are suspended at differing lengths to create a waveform at the base of three concentric circles.
“Sonic Mountain” (Sonoma) by Doug Aitken
Artist, Doug Aitken teamed up with composer, Terry Riley to compose the chords played by the wind in the chimes. Every morning, the wind wakes with a soft whisper, humming through the pipes, building in strength throughout the day until mid-afternoon, and then gradually diminishing into the early evening. The sonic work moves through the estate every day, always changing, depending on the strength and which way the wind blows.
“Reaching Out” by Thomas J Price
“Untitled” by Yue Minjun
The artist’ self-portrait