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Lot Essay
A Vision for Central Park Zoo, New York
Barnabas (Barney) and Bannon (Bannie) McHenry’s enduring passion for art and cultural patronage began early in their collecting journey, when they first encountered the visionary French artists Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne. As general counsel of the Reader’s Digest Association beginning in the 1960s, Barney assumed direction of the DeWitt Wallace and Lila Acheson Wallace Foundations—future patrons of Les Lalanne’s largest public commission in America, the Lila Acheson Wallace Garden at Colonial Williamsburg.
By the late 1970s, Barney’s influence extended deeply into New York’s cultural landscape. Appointed by Mayor Ed Koch as Vice Chair of the New York Commission on Cultural Affairs in 1978, and serving simultaneously on the board of the New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society), he played a pivotal role in the long-overdue renovation and revitalization of the Central Park Zoo.
Faced with the challenge of reimagining such a significant civic landmark, Barney and Bannie—an art historian with a keen eye for modern design—turned once again to their trusted collaborators, Les Lalanne. They recognized in the artists unique approach to their art, to merge whimsy with function, nature with imagination. The Lalannes’ proposal envisioned a harmonious balance between preservation and reinvention: visitors would be greeted by Claude’s enchanting gates (lots 139 and 140), wrought in bronze and galvanized copper, where swinging monkeys and perched birds intertwined among climbing vines. Beyond these openwork portals, François-Xavier’s monumental bronze animal sculptures (lots 136, 137 and 138) would animate the newly landscaped gardens surrounding the beloved sea lion pool.
Through the McHenrys’ vision and the Lalannes’ artistry, the renovation of the over 100 year old institution at the Central Park Zoo was poised to become more than a zoological attraction—these avant-garde creators reimagined a landmark as a living artwork, celebrating the poetic intersection of nature, art, and public space in the heart of New York City. Although the commission was never realized, the maquettes produced in 1982 are a testament to the McHenry’s close collaboration with Les Lalanne, and their belief in the power of art in the public space. Hidden for years, the McHenry collection reflects the deep exchange between the collectors and the artists at a formative moment in their careers.
Barnabas (Barney) and Bannon (Bannie) McHenry’s enduring passion for art and cultural patronage began early in their collecting journey, when they first encountered the visionary French artists Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne. As general counsel of the Reader’s Digest Association beginning in the 1960s, Barney assumed direction of the DeWitt Wallace and Lila Acheson Wallace Foundations—future patrons of Les Lalanne’s largest public commission in America, the Lila Acheson Wallace Garden at Colonial Williamsburg.
By the late 1970s, Barney’s influence extended deeply into New York’s cultural landscape. Appointed by Mayor Ed Koch as Vice Chair of the New York Commission on Cultural Affairs in 1978, and serving simultaneously on the board of the New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society), he played a pivotal role in the long-overdue renovation and revitalization of the Central Park Zoo.
Faced with the challenge of reimagining such a significant civic landmark, Barney and Bannie—an art historian with a keen eye for modern design—turned once again to their trusted collaborators, Les Lalanne. They recognized in the artists unique approach to their art, to merge whimsy with function, nature with imagination. The Lalannes’ proposal envisioned a harmonious balance between preservation and reinvention: visitors would be greeted by Claude’s enchanting gates (lots 139 and 140), wrought in bronze and galvanized copper, where swinging monkeys and perched birds intertwined among climbing vines. Beyond these openwork portals, François-Xavier’s monumental bronze animal sculptures (lots 136, 137 and 138) would animate the newly landscaped gardens surrounding the beloved sea lion pool.
Through the McHenrys’ vision and the Lalannes’ artistry, the renovation of the over 100 year old institution at the Central Park Zoo was poised to become more than a zoological attraction—these avant-garde creators reimagined a landmark as a living artwork, celebrating the poetic intersection of nature, art, and public space in the heart of New York City. Although the commission was never realized, the maquettes produced in 1982 are a testament to the McHenry’s close collaboration with Les Lalanne, and their belief in the power of art in the public space. Hidden for years, the McHenry collection reflects the deep exchange between the collectors and the artists at a formative moment in their careers.