The Collection, the Ruin and the Theatre: Architecture, Sculpture and Landscape in Nek Chand's Rock Garden, Chandigarh

Thirty-six years ago, Nek Chand, a humble transport official in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh, began to clear a patch of jungle in order to make a small garden. He set stones around the clearing and before long sculpted a few figures recycled from materials he found at the site. Gradually his creation covered twenty-five acres, consisting of several thousand sculptures set in large mosaic courtyards and encompassing huge buildings and interlinking waterfalls. Published to accompany an exhibition of the same name at the Royal Institute of British Architects Gallery in Liverpool, "The Ruin and the Theatre" presents this incredible artistic and cultural achievement for the first time--analyzing key aspects of the garden's collections, its architecture, and the landscape setting alongside beautiful full-color illustrations that pay homage to this modern wonder of the world.