‘Monumenta’ remembered 51-years later in Newport, RI
Fifty-one years after “Monumenta” transformed Newport with one of the world’s first large-scale outdoor sculpture exhibitions, “Full Circle” will revisit that groundbreaking moment through the enduring practice of artist Richard Fleischner.
The genesis of the exhibition, open February 6 through May 3, 2026, at Rosecliff, is Fleischner’s site-specific earthwork “Sod Maze” at Chateau-sur-Mer, created for “Monumenta” and still existing today. Our understanding of this work is now enriched by the recent gift of more than 20 artworks, drawings and studies related to “Sod Maze” that Fleischner has generously donated to The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns Chateau-sur-Mer and 10 other historic properties. These newly acquired works, including original sketches, notes and archival materials, shed fresh light on the evolution of “Sod Maze” and illuminate the unifying concepts that inform Fleischner’s process.
Presented in dialogue with works by fellow “Monumenta” artists Christo, David Smith, Claes Oldenburg, Alexander Liberman and Barnett Newman, the exhibition situates Fleischner’s practice within a wider community of innovators who defined art in the landscape in the last quarter of the 20th century. “Full Circle” reunites “Monumenta” artists in Newport for the first time since 1974, juxtaposing related works with a fresh perspective.
“Full Circle” also looks forward to Fleischner’s contemporary practice, including a selection of encaustic work exhibited for the first time along with preparatory materials for Flesichner’s ongoing installation at Rowdy Meadow in Ohio. There, Fleischner’s work has truly come full circle as he is once again sited among contemporary masters including Richard Serra, Anish Kapoor and Andy Goldsworthy.
“Full Circle” follows the arc of Fleischner’s career and traces a continuous line from the pioneering vision of “Monumenta” to the lasting relevance of modern and contemporary sculpture today.
The exhibition will be included with admission to Rosecliff. See www.newportmansions.org/events/full-circle.
About the Preservation Society of Newport County
The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks – span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.
For more information, please visit www.NewportMansions.org.
