NABF Newsletter #4

Feature #6

A Japanese Autumn
At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

By Julie Francke

The art of bonsai, the beauty of Japanese ceramics, the grace of ikebana, and the mystique of viewing stones are showcased in a special exhibition, A Japanese Autumn, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park through January 4, 2004.

This exhibition is the result of a first-ever collaboration with major art and horticultural institutions across the country. Quiet Beauty: Fifty Centuries of Japanese Folk Ceramics from the Montgomery Collection, features 100 works of art in our sculpture galleries. Also in the galleries, a “culture wall” explores the role Japanese culture and traditions play in ceramics, horticulture, and daily life. A Zen-style garden, in our display greenhouses, features specimen bonsai from some of the nation’s finest collections, along with suiseki, or viewing stones. Interactive displays on the art and science of bonsai are featured in our teaching greenhouse and specialty forms of chrysanthemum, the royal flower of Japan, are on display in our seasonal greenhouse (through November 16). Special programming complements the exhibition and includes weekend lectures and demonstrations, a family day, a Japanese lunch lecture, and a traditional tea ceremony.

While it is common for art museums to receive art on loan from other museums, it is not common to “borrow” living sculpture, such as bonsai. To enable us to showcase several outstanding tropical bonsai in this exhibition, the Gardens’ executive director invited other institutions to partner with us in this display. The institutions included Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Garden in Columbus, Ohio; and Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection in Federal Way, Washington. A total of eight tropical bonsai were provided on loan from these institutions and the U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, D.C. contributed three suiseki.

Contracts were written with each institution, which addressed shipping needs, security, how the “art” would be displayed, and climate control. However, unlike most art, these “living sculptures” have special cultural requirements—the watering, pruning, and fertilizing was reviewed in great detail for each tree.

A Japanese Autumn has provided Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park with a unique opportunity to showcase an outstanding art exhibition along with other Japanese arts, including bonsai, ikebana, and suiseki. The Japanese distinctive sense of beauty and respect for nature, culture and traditions are reflected in each of these arts. As an institution with an emphasis in both horticulture and sculpture, the exhibition reflects our unique mission and provides us with an exciting opportunity to partner with other outstanding cultural institutions across the country.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a botanical garden and sculpture park located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, a schedule of special events and exhibitions, and travel directions, please call or visit our web site 1-888-957-1580 or www.meijergardens.org.