40 Years of Passage – Monumental Masterpiece

40 Years of Passage – Monumental Masterpiece
February 04, 2026

In 1986, Richard Erdman unveiled Passage—a monumental sculpture carved from a single block of Roman travertine—that would forever mark his place in the landscape of modern sculpture. Towering at 16 feet and stretching 25 feet wide, Passage stands sentinel at the entrance to the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo.

Making Passage: from a sketch, to a maquette, to a 450 ton block of stone

The making of Passage was not a solitary act but a deeply collaborative endeavor that unfolded over two years. During that time, Richard lived and worked in Carrara, Italy — the historic heart of marble and stone carving — where he worked closely with the expert artisans of SGF Scultura, a family-run workshop rooted in generations of master carvers and skilled marmisti. Living and working in Carrara, Richard became part of this community of makers—an immersion that shaped not only Passage but the decades that followed, establishing a lasting collaboration that continues to this day.

Legacy of Modern Sculpture

This distinguished collection presents Passage alongside significant works by renowned artists such as Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Louise Nevelson, and Isamu Noguchi, solidifying Richard’s important role in the legacy of modern sculpture. Forty years on, the work stands as both an origin point and a lasting testament to a vision defined by scale, process, and a belief in the enduring expressive power of marble.

: 16 mm film stills, Passage: A Richard Erdman Sculpture

Over the past four decades, Passage has continued to resonate—its title as evocative as its presence. The work offers more than a physical passage; it gestures toward the meandering of time and its thresholds of change.

Sculptor Richard Erdman stands in front of the newly completed monumental sculpture, Passage at the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden at Pepsi Co.

Passage on Film

For an intimate look at the creation, transport, and realization of this extraordinary sculpture, explore Passage: A Richard Erdman Sculpture—a 1986 documentary directed by Albert van der Wildt. Through archival footage and cinematic storytelling, the film offers a rare glimpse into the intensity, precision, and human scale behind this epic sculpture.

Please contact our Director, Abbey Meaker, at [email protected] with any inquiries.

Vignettes