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City Center Seward Johnson Sculptures Walking Tour

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Seward Johnson, When Now Becomes Then, ©1990 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., Photo by Ken Ek

When:

MAY 1, 2023 to NOV 1, 2023

Where:

New Brunswick City Center
New Brunswick, NJ

Outdoor Sculptures in New Brunswick's City Center!

Seward Johnson was a New Brunswick native, visionary, artist, and philanthropist that established an international community of artists with the Johnson Atelier in Hamilton, NJ, later going on to create Grounds For Sculpture, a 42-acre nonprofit sculpture park, museum, and arboretum on the site of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds.

A recipient of the International Sculpture Center's 2019 Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award, Seward passed away at the age of 89 in March of 2020, but the Atelier continues his legacy, producing and preserving works of art and design while creating cultural experiences and expanding artistic possibility.

New Brunswick's city center is thrilled to be hosting several sculptures from the renowned artist, Seward Johnson on display along George Street, from May 1st to November 1st. While on display, the public is encouraged to take a self-guided walking tour of the sculpture pieces to see for themselves and share photos on social media for a chance to win gift cards to New Brunswick's favorite shops & restaurants!

Johnson's unique artworks are extremely famous and have been shown throughout cities within the United States and worldwide. Seward's work is featured in collections worldwide with select exhibitions in Plant City, FL; Elkhart, IN; Old Westbury Gardens, NY; Wildwood, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ! We are honored to have his art grace our streets and look forward to hosting their beauty this season! Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy the art of Seward Johnson throughout the City Center!

We would also like to thank New Brunswick Public Sculpture and the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce/CVB for their support of the program.

Experience the Walking Tour

Our tour is a self-guided, exploration of Seward's sculptures along the George Street corridor. The tour is designed in a sequence that travels from north to south but can be started at any location, or navigated in reverse order. See the Digital Map at the bottom of the page!

Photo Contest

Simply POST A SELFIE with one of the sculptures on your Facebook and/or Instagram account and use the hashtag, #NBStatue, in your post and you'll be in the running to win a gift card to local New Brunswick shops & restaurants, valued between $25 - $100!

  • Entries will be accepted from May 1st to November 1st at 11:59 PM.

Fun Facts About Seward Johnson

  • Born in New Brunswick on April 16, 1930.
  • His favorite drink is Tito's on Ice.
  • He was a grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I, the co-founder of Johnson & Johnson.

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Looking for Parking? New Brunswick Parking Authority offers several parking garages and on-street metered parking to get you close to every venue in town. Use the ParkMobile App to reserve & pay on the go, wirelessly.

Sculpture Tour:

1Strolling Professor

Bronze; 68 x 28 x 32 in.

75 Bayard Street

Strolling Professor

"I use my art to convince you of something that isn't real. You laugh at yourself because you were taken in, and in that change of your perception, you become vulnerable to the piece and intimate with it in a certain way." - Seward Johnson

Seward Johnson, Strolling Professor, ©1989 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., Photo by Ken Ek

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2Los Mariachis

Bronze; 71 x 80 x 40 in.

356 George Street

Los Mariachis

Seward Johnson was a big fan of mariachi music and had players perform at his retrospective exhibition in 2014. The art form dates back to at least the 18th century. Have you experienced music that instantly puts you in a good mood?

Seward Johnson, Los Mariachis, ©1994 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.

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3Skateboarder

Bronze; 73 x 62.5 x 22 in.

335 George Street

Skateboarder

Does skateboarding (or biking or rollerblading) cause you to see the world differently? What do you discover? Do you feel differently? Have you considered a bike tour to see all the sculptures and other points of interest around the city?

Seward Johnson, Skateboarder, ©1979 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc.,

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4Uninvited Advice

Bronze; 69 x 66 x 138 in.

391 George Street

Uninvited Advice

Studies have shown that expressing yourself through the arts can have a variety of health benefits. We also know that being in nature is beneficial as well. The composition of this sculpture literally incorporates both art and nature. Think of ways you might be able to incorporate art and nature into your daily life.

Seward Johnson, Uninvited Advice, ©1992 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., Photo by David W. Steele

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5Newspaper Reader

Bronze; 58 x 60 x 36 in.

335 George Street

Newspaper Reader

Early castings of Johnson's sculpture were chemically patinated in an all over brown patina with no delineation from skin and clothing. This slowly evolved with the technologies of the time to include red, green, and tan patinas, raw bronze skin and white paint detailing businessmen's shirts or newspapers.

Can you see this casting implements even further technology with realistic clothing and skin colormatched to the color that is achieved from freshly beadblasted raw bronze?

Seward Johnson, Newspaper Reader, ©1974 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., Photo by Ken Ek

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6When Now Becomes Then

Bronze; 33 x 30 x 45 in.

2 Livingston Avenue

When Now Becomes Then

Seward Johnson always encouraged people to find their creativity outdoors.  Does being outside change how you create?

Seward Johnson, When Now Becomes Then,  ©1990 The Seward Johnson Atelier, Inc., Photo by Ken Ek

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Sculpture Locations: