Exhibit helps mark the Japanese Garden’s 50th Anniversary
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden invites guests to unfold the wonders of nature during the Texas premiere of “FLORIGAMIINTHEGARDEN,” a six-month outdoor art exhibit featuring 18 museum-quality sculptures inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding.
Ranging from a few feet to more than 30 feet tall, the pieces will be located throughout the Garden Aug. 19 through Feb. 14 and portray a variety of forms, including animals, flowers and various geometric shapes.
“FLORIGAMIINTHEGARDEN brings art, Japanese culture and nature together to create emotional souvenirs for the entire family,” said Garden President and CEO Patrick Newman. “Children will especially appreciate the emerging butterflies, big birds, grazing deer and blooming flowers – all of which celebrate the process of plant pollination, an educational concept we highlight on our campus Pollinator Pathway and in our family education courses.
“We are delighted too that the launch of this origami-themed art exhibit coincides with the 50th anniversary of our iconic Japanese Garden, a place beloved by generations in the Fort Worth community,” Newman added.
Made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor, FLORIGAMIINTHEGARDEN opens Aug. 19 and continues through Feb. 14, 2024, and is included with the price of general admission. The Garden’s summer “buy one, get one admission” special discount applies through August 31.
Created by Santa Fe artists Jennifer and Kevin Box, the show presents a fresh look at paper folding in the 21st century with large-scale, origami-inspired metal sculptures. The colorful, whimsical and kinetic sculptures were created in collaboration with modern masters of paper folding: Robert J. Lang, Michael G. LaFosse and Beth Johnson. Their intricate folds have been transformed into monumental metal sculptures by Box and his studio team to inspire, educate and entertain audiences in the outdoor setting of public gardens.
“Origami presents a simple life metaphor: We begin with a blank page, what we do with it is up to us and the possibilities are endless,” said co-artist Kevin Box.
One of the installation highlights and featured campaign image is “Scents of Gratitude, “measuring more than 30 feet high and located in the Rose Garden. This piece was a year-long project for Box and incorporates 77 origami-inspired flower components. Most of the flowers are kinetic, gently turning with the breeze, and amidst the profusion sit a butterfly and a crane. The towering bouquet, powder coated in exuberant colors, is a “firework of celebration and joy,” Box says. “It was the biggest expression of gratitude, in every sense of the word, that I could manifest from my heart.”
