Sculpture Forum

April 3 2006

One of the State's Largest Sculpture Exhibits Comes to White Plains

The Sculpture Forum on the Plaza opens in April at the Westchester County Courthouse

(Website with Photos)

There is a sculpture explosion going on in White Plains.

First, there was (and still is) the exhibit outside the city’s public library.

And now there will be a complementary – and larger – exhibit around and inside the adjacent Westchester County Courthouse. The year-long Sculpture Forum on the Plaza will open April 18, with approximately 35 works of art created by 21 artists.

An opening reception will take place at 4 p.m. at the site. (Some of the sculptures have already been installed; the bulk of them will be installed Thursday, April 6.)

It’s the vision of Norman Adler, a resident of Armonk, who has worked tirelessly and with passion for a year to bring this latest exhibit to the county-owned courthouse.

“When I see an empty space, I think sculpture,” said Adler, a retired building and real estate developer who is also one of the artists in the exhibition. “Through an exhibit such as this, I get to share my passion and to enrich the physical world with objects that I hope will stimulate the spirit and delight the eyes.”

Adler worked with the Sculptors Guild to select and borrow the artwork and with the Westchester County Executive’s Office and the New York State Office of Court Administration. Assisting Adler with the project details were two volunteers and friends of his: George Drapeau and Norma Hill. Collectively, the three diligently tracked down sculptures, planned the exhibit catalog and raised the private funds to make the project possible.

County Executive Andy Spano praised the endeavor, saying, “It was more than a year ago that Norm Adler came to my office with the bold notion that he wanted to plan a grand sculpture exhibit around the Westchester County Courthouse. Happily for all of us, Norm has turned his fantasy into a reality.”

Judge Francis Nicolai, administrative judge for the 9th judicial district, said, “We are most pleased that the Courthouse has space to provide for public displays of art. We appreciate Norm Adler’s devotion to this project and his untiring efforts to provide sculptures that enhance the beauty of the courthouse.”

The show will feature artwork of all sizes, shapes, colors – fabricated from various mediums (bronze granite, wood, mahogany, terracotta, marble, milled steel, painted aluminum).

“This will be a wonderful show, bringing together some internationally recognized artists and some outstanding local artists. It will be one of the largest sculpture exhibits in the state,” Adler said. “And it is particularly wonderful that it is adjacent to the White Plains Public Library’s sculpture exhibit that I put together two years ago that has drawn so much positive attention.”

The artists who are included are:

Norman Adler
Bill Barrett
Siv Cedering
Leslie Dor
Leonda Finke
Lloyd Glasson
Michelle Greene
Chaim Gross
Nathaniel Kaz
Masami Kodama
Barbara Lekberg
Vera Manzi-Schacht
Richard McDermott Miller
Ron Mehlman
Ernst Neizvestny
Charles Parks
Arnold Prince
Mary Ellen Scherl
Robert Michael Smith
Judith Steinberg
Claudia Widdiss

About Norman Adler: Norm Adler spent his careers in building and real estate development. As a partner with the Schulman Realty Group of White Plains, he was responsible for the construction. However, the best part of the projects he completed were the compelling gardens surrounding the buildings and the sculptures. Not only did he landscape, build waterfalls and create Japanese gardens but he also turned his
projects into an outdoor art gallery. He developed relationships with world-renowned sculptors through his connection with the Sculptors Guild, persuading them to exhibit in his gardens.

About the Sculptors Guild: Founded in 1937, the Sculptors Guild is a professional membership organization whose early members helped bring about a 20th century renaissance in the United States. For the past 67 years, the guild membership has continued to be comprised of the foremost sculptors of the time. The guild is located in New York City.

The exhibit was made possible with the help of outside donations. The four main sponsors are: Bashian and Farber, LLP of White Plains, Benchmark Title Agency, LLC of White Plains, the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley Inc. and Edward and Phyllis Lashins.