Bridget McCrum: The Conference of the Birds sculpture exhibition launches at Blenheim Palace Gardens

The work of acclaimed sculptor Bridget McCrum will be showcased in a brand new summer exhibition which opens this month in the Walled Garden at Blenheim Palace.

Bridget McCrum: The Conference of the Birds (April 27th to September 14th) focusses on her iconic bird sculptures in stone and bronze, partially inspired by the 12th century Persian poem, The Conference of the Birds. Now in her nineties, McCrum has stopped carving, and the Blenheim Palace exhibition includes her final stone sculpture.

At the centre of this solo exhibition of 20 of her works is McCrum’s Merlin sculpture; a vast stone bird soaring triumphantly. The piece was commissioned by Rolls Royce to commemorate the company’s most famous engine, the Merlin, named after the eponymous seabird, which was integral to British fighter planes during the Second World War, such as the iconic Spitfire.

Heather Carter, Managing Director of Blenheim Palace, said: “It’s a real pleasure to host the work of such an acclaimed artist as Bridget McCrum, and given Blenheim Palace’s connection to Sir Winston Churchill, it’s apt that her Merlin sculpture takes pride of place in the show.”

Entry to the exhibition is free to all ticketed visitors to Blenheim Palace and annual pass holders.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.blenheimpalace.com

Bridget McCrum is represented by Messums ORG.