The Donum Estate in Sonoma County, California is a certified organic (CCOF), sustainable vineyard specializing in award-winning Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. It also has a pretty big private collection of outdoor sculptures by artists who are a pretty big deal in the art world. The world world, even.
Last December, my son and I were treated to a tour and wine tasting at this renowned estate. I took a lot of photos. Because photographer. It’s taken me over a year to sort through all the images. I’m not done. But, as they say about fine wine…
“Love Me” by Richard Hudson
First stop, we looked into Richard Hudson’s 28-foot, mirror polished, stainless steel heart. I loved it.
Situated at the zenith of vineyard, this giant heart reflects an intentionally tended earth below and a magical, majestic sky above. Le sigh.
What’s a vineyard without a wine bottle peeking out from the grass? Not Donum.
"Soma" by Subodh Gupta
This is Soma. The title refers to the Vedic ambrosia, a drink the gods consumed in their teenage years which often led to physical confrontations and other reckless behavior, as though they would live forever.
You know what doesn’t last forever? A hangover. Thank gods.
The “trees” that dot this landscape transform it into a whimsical other realm.
“People Tree” by Subodh Gupta
This cacophany of stainless-steel kitchenware sprouting to form this giant banyan tree stands out.
Outstanding!
Also, I learned that the banyan is sacred in India, and is considered a symbol of eternal life and knowledge.
I sense a pattern.
“Black Palm” by Douglas White
Speaking of Colonialism, Artist, Subodh Gupta grew Black Palm from discarded rubber tires to represent the transformation of once-healthy palm trees abundant in South American countries. It’s his commentary on the Europeans who came to vacation in Belize, then stayed to drain it of it’s life and beauty.
Rubber. It was drained from the trees and turned into a global sensation. All of a sudden everyone needed it. Put that in your tank and take it for a spin…
“Mikado Tree” by Pascale Marthine Tayou
Pickup sticks. I remember playing this game as a kid.
Mikado Tree is an aluminum and concrete monument to this game that has roots tracing back to ancient China. For Tayou, Mikado is a symbol of cultural connection - a game that has traveled across many cultures and generations, without borders.
No borders. Just kids playing a game.
Here’s how you play: you hold the stack of sticks in your hand then release them. Like spaghetti you toss into the boiling water. They form a jumbled, sharp circle much like the top of this sculpture. You then attempt to pick up one stick at a time without…something…I don’t remember.
“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. Artist, Doug Aitken teamed up with composer, Terry Riley to create the chords played by the wind chimes.
“Sonic Mountain” (Sonoma) by Doug Aitken
Every morning wakes the hills with a soft whisper as the wind hums through the pipes, building in strength throughout the day, then gradually diminishing into the early evening. The sonic work plays through the estate every day, always changing, depending on which way the wind blows.
“Reaching Out” by Thomas J Price
Call your mother.
“Untitled” by Yue Minjun
The artist’ self-portrait