Meijer Gardens Presents an Immersive, Site-Specific Exhibition From Installation Artist Rebecca Louise Law

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: John VanderHaagen | Director of Communications | 616-975-3180 | jvanderhaagen(at)meijergardens.org

MEIJER GARDENS PRESENTS AN IMMERSIVE, SITE-SPECIFIC EXHIBITION FROM INSTALLATION ARTIST REBECCA LOUISE LAW

Rebecca Louise Law: The Womb will include a dramatic installation of over a million flowers and plant material, including 10,000 flowers and plants gathered on-site and wired with the help of staff and volunteers.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is honored to announce Rebecca Louise Law: The Womb. Opening on September 20, 2019, this exclusive, site-specific exhibition includes an existing collection of approximately 1,000,000 flowers and plant material, and 10,000 flowers and plants gathered on site and strung by volunteers and staff at Meijer Gardens. Newly created sculpture and painted works will also be on display in spaces preceding the main gallery. This exhibition will run through March 1, 2020.

Rebecca Louise Law's use of natural materials, mainly floral, encourage guests to experience the relationship between humanity and nature. The natural decay of the plant material makes this exhibit time based and encourages frequent visits to observe the process of drying. A big believer in sustainability, Law frequently reuses dried plant materials that have been displayed in her previous installations. "I like to capture and treasure small, beautiful natural objects to create an artwork that can be observed without the pressure of time," said Law. "Preserving, treasuring, celebrating and sharing the beauty of the earth with the world is what drives me."

This installation is an intimate exploration into the relationship between humankind and nature and explores the sensation of being cocooned in nature, and the fantasy of being naturally enveloped. The artworks surrounding the installation look in detail at the womb as a natural cocoon. Though photography is allowed in specific areas, Law encourages guests to put aside their cell phones and cameras and fully engage with the exhibition.

"We have been aware of Rebecca's work for some time, and are very excited to be working with her," said Laurene Grunwald, Director of Sculpture, Art Collections, Exhibitions & Installations at Meijer Gardens. "Her concern for the environment and practice of sustainability is a perfect fit for us along with the literal combination of sculpture and horticulture, which directly mirrors our mission."

Exhibition Programming - Exhibition programs are drop-in and registration is not required.

•     Director's Walk

Tuesday, October 15, 6 pm
Fee: Included with Admission
Laurene Grunwald, Director of Sculpture, Art Collections, Exhibitions & Installations
Steve LaWarre, Director of Horticulture
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a place where one can experience masterpieces of art and nature to delight your senses at one of the nation's premier horticultural display gardens and sculpture parks. Join the directors of the Sculpture and Horticulture departments in exploring one of the places where this combination of nature and sculpture is emphasized—the wildflower meadow with Mark di Suvero's sculpture, Scarlatti, right at the center.

•     The Secret Symbolism of Flowers

Sunday, November 10, 2 pm
Fee: Included with Admission
Dr. Suzanne Eberle, Professor of Art History, Kendall College of Art and Design
Art history is filled with flowers. Flowers often contain a symbolic meaning that is sometimes specific to the period of art, region or artist from which it was created. Join Dr. Eberle as she explores the symbolism of flowers throughout art history.

•     The History of Environmental Art

Sunday, December 8, 2 pm
Fee: Included with Admission
Dr. Billie Wickre, Professor of Art History, Albion College
The Environmental Art movement began in the 1960s and early '70s as a way to appreciate nature. Over time, it has become a way for artists to address the endangering of ecosystems. Join Dr. Wickre as she highlights some important works of art in the Environmental Art movement that have been intended to evoke change in the ways in which we understand and interact with our surroundings.

Rebecca Louise Law: The Womb is made possible by:
The Meijer Foundation
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation
Botanic and Sculpture Societies of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts
Townsquare Media

Images available HERE

About Rebecca Louise Law
Rebecca Louise Law is a British installation artist best known for artworks created with natural materials, namely flora. The physicality and sensuality of her work plays with the relationship between humanity and nature. Law is passionate about natural change and preservation, allowing her work to evolve as nature takes its course and offering an alternative concept of beauty.
http://www.rebeccalouiselaw.com

About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park promotes the enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural environment and the arts. One of the world's most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, Meijer Gardens welcomed 696,000 visitors in 2018 and was recently listed in the top 30 most visited museums in the United States by The Art Newspaper, the leading publication in global art news. The 158-acre main campus features Michigan's largest tropical conservatory; one of the largest interactive children's gardens in the country; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Edgar Degas and Auguste Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens; and a 1900-seat outdoor amphitheater, featuring an eclectic mix of world-renowned musicians every summer. The internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park features a permanent collection including works by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei and Jaume Plensa, among others. Indoor galleries host changing sculpture exhibitions with exhibitions by Ai Weiwei, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Mark di Suvero, Jonathan Borofsky, Alexander Calder, Jim Dine and others. In June 2015, the eight–acre Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened. Created by renowned designer Hoichi Kurisu, the garden features sculpture by Anish Kapoor, Jenny Holzer, David Nash, George Rickey, Masayuki Koorida, Zhang Huan, Guiseppe Penone, among others.

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SOURCE Meijer Gardens