Friday, May 21, 2010

Chihuly Exhibit, Meijer Gardens - 5/12/10
















The Dale Chihuly blown glass exhibit at Meijer Gardens is spectacular. We viewed it last week on a cloudy, cool day, well after the heavily-attended opening. Our plan was to take the tram to view the scattered works of art but we were informed at the Conservatory that we would not then be able to see every sculpture. So we took the brochure listing the site locations, and went back to the main desk for the standard Garden guide that showed those locations.

Volunteers posted at each exhibit were very helpful and we asked each time for the optimum route to the remaining sculptures. When we consulted our guide at Hekman Pond for the next best direction, she pulled out a map that showed the Chihuly exhibits with their locations. Just a minute now - why isn’t that available for visitors? It’s only in the hands of the volunteers, which is nice for them. But regardless, we did manage to get to each work, on foot, and without the ultimate location brochure.

The name of the exhibit, “A New Eden,” is maybe a little over the top but the works are magnificent and are wonderfully placed in beautiful settings. Various shapes rise up from the ground, towers ascend to the sky, colors float on water, plants spring up in the conservatory, and light explodes. The only site that was underwhelming was “White Belugas”; we missed it the first time as it looked like white garbage bags on the far side of a pond.

This exhibit is well-worth seeing and continues until September 30. If nothing else, it provides impetus to appreciate the beauty of Meijer Gardens, where art becomes one with nature.

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