Fees:
Adults (14 - 64): $12.00
Seniors (65 and older): $9.00
Students (w/ student ID): $9.00
Children (5 - 13): $6.00
Children (3 - 4): $4.00
Children (2 and younger): Free

*Group rates are available (minimum of 20 people)

Mission Statement:
To promote the enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the
natural environment, and the arts.

Exhibitions:

Sculptors Celebrate the Legacy of Fred and Lena Meijer
June 4, 2010 – January 2, 201

Through the generosity of Fred and Lena Meijer, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has assembled one of the world’s foremost collections of Modern and Contemporary sculpture. In honor of the Meijer legacy and in celebration of Meijer Gardens’ 15th anniversary, contemporary sculptors represented in the permanent collection will be displaying new work in this unique gallery exhibition. From Louise Bourgeois and Deborah Butterfield, to Mark di Suvero and Antony Gormley, to Claes Oldenburg and Tom Otterness, many artists have developed a special affinity for Meijer Gardens and the Meijers themselves. This exhibition individually examines the present endeavors of numerous iconic masters from across the contemporary scene and collectively commemorates the breadth and depth of the permanent collection developed with the support of Fred and Lena Meijer.


BREATHTAKING CHIHULY EXHIBITION AMONG MEIJER GARDENS’ LARGEST

Chihuly at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: A New Eden
April 30 – September 30, 2010

Few American artists can capture the attention of millions the way Dale Chihuly can, and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of the nation’s most significant sculpture and botanic experiences, will celebrate the masterwork of Chihuly with a breathtaking and exclusive outdoor sculpture exhibition, April 30 - September 30, 2010.

“Chihuly at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: A New Eden” will include thousands of pieces of glass in 15 different settings across the 132-acre grounds. Each site-specific sculpture will harmonize with the surrounding natural environment, and bright, bold horticulture designs will change with the seasons.

“This exhibition celebrates one of the world’s foremost glass artist and his much-anticipated return to Meijer Gardens,” said Joseph Becherer, chief curator and vice president. “Specifically created for this exhibition, Chihuly’s sculptural glass infuses his expression of nature with the stunning landscape of our grounds.”

For “A New Eden,” Chihuly and his team are working with the Meijer Gardens Horticultural team to celebrate the duality of art and nature. Chosen sites span the grounds of Meijer Gardens including the English Perennial Garden, Woodland Shade Garden, Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, wetland areas and the 30-acre Sculpture Park.

Citron Green and Red Tower, an explosive, 16-foot-tall sculpture set in the stately English Perennial Garden, greets Meijer Gardens’ guests as they enter. Throughout the indoor gardens, Neon Tumbleweed Chandeliers cascade light into the Arid Garden and Polyvitro Chandeliers, Ikebana, Baskets, Macchia and Persians highlight the Lena Meijer Conservatory.

The outdoor galleries of the Sculpture Park provide a seasonal experience for the mind and eye. Even before entering the Sculpture Park, the majestic Rose Crystal Tower, invites visitors to explore the wonders of the Meijer Gardens’ outdoor masterpiece. Visitors will the see The Sun and all its glory in the Cultural Commons and The Moon in the neighboring Groves.

“Horticulture and sculpture are fully unified in this exhibition. The landscaping incorporates our natural terrain in addition to large-scale expression of bold colors, textures and patterns complimentary to Chihuly’s work,” said Steve LaWarre, director of horticulture at Meijer Gardens. “Among the most beautiful discoveries that visitors will find is how ‘A New Eden’ will change between April and September. Color, light, and shadows will delicately evolve with plants and glass as we move from spring and summer into autumn.”

“’A New Eden’ is a highlight of our 15-year anniversary,” said David Hooker, president and CEO. “It is significant to showcase an artist who portrays our dual mission so magnificently.”

Meijer Gardens has a long and rewarding relationship with Dale Chihuly. ‘A New Eden’ is the sculptor’s second exhibition at Meijer Gardens. “Color & Light: Chihuly at the Gardens” was an indoor exhibition held in 2003. The exhibition saw more than a half-million visitors in four months.

In addition to the exhibition, two permanent installations are on display: Gilded Champagne Gardens Chandelier,in the Grand Atrium, and the newly installed Lena’s Garden suspended from the ceiling of the Taste of the Gardens Café.

Lead sponsors for this exhibition include The Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, The Meijer Foundation and Steelcase, Inc.
Images are available upon request.

About Dale Chihuly
World-renowned artist Dale Chihuly (b. 1941) was first introduced to glass while studying interior design at the University of Washington. He continued his studies at Rhode Island School of Design, where he later established the glass program and taught for more than a decade. Through the Fulbright Fellowship, Chihuly studied in Venice, which exposed him to the team approach to glass blowing. Later, he returned to Washington State and founded the Pilchuck Glass School, where he continues to lead the way in fine art glass blowing. He has since been awarded eight honorary doctorates and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chihuly’s well-known series of works include Baskets, Persians and Seaforms. His work is included in more than two hundred museum collections worldwide. Chihuly’s lifelong affinity for glass houses has grown into a series of exhibitions with botanical settings.


Events

• Sculpture Demonstrations: The Magic of Glass Art
May 8 and 22,
1–3 pm
Ever wonder how artists bend glass? How they melt glass? How they use molds with glass? These questions and more will be answered in a demonstration using specialty glass and small kilns. Starting with flat sheet glass, Michigan artist Gloria Badiner will demonstrate the basic techniques of cutting and shaping glass. She will then heat the glass in a kiln and bend the softened glass into a ceramic mold to create a bowl. Guests will interact with the artist, handle samples and ask questions.

• Daylong Adventure with Art and Gardens
June 4,
8 am–5:30 pm
$65 members, $75 non-members
Join us for a private tour of the glass-blowing studio at Oxbow (School of the Art Institute of Chicago summer program) located near Saugatuck, Michigan. Learn about the techniques involved in making spectacular glass sculpture from Jerry Catania, a former student of Dale Chihuly. After a tour and demonstration, enjoy a boxed lunch on the beautiful grounds of Oxbow. After lunch, we will visit private gardens that feature a variety of flowering trees and shrubs, including azaleas, rhododendrons, dogwoods, crab apples, and viburnums (the weather will determine what is in bloom). Explore a formal English-style garden and intimate gardens with outdoor living areas and spectacular views. Walking will be on grass and unpaved surfaces. Cost includes
bus transportation, admissions, demonstration and lunch. Call 616-975-3147 to register.

• Curators’ Choice with Heidi Holst and Laurene Grunwald
July 12,
7 pm
Join the Curator of Arts Education and the Assistant Curator of Sculpture Exhibitions as they lead you through the colorful and surprising Chihuly exhibition. Learn the process of working with this unusual sculptural medium, why Chihuly works with teams of up to 18 people to create these complex sculptures, what influences
Chihuly and why the sculptures were installed in the respective locations. Dress for the weather and be prepared to walk for 45 minutes.

• Curators’ Choice with Heidi Holst and Laurene Grunwald
August 13,
Noon
Join the Curator of Arts Education and the Assistant Curator of Sculpture Exhibitions as they lead you through the colorful and surprising Chihuly exhibition. Learn the process of working with this unusual sculptural medium, why Chihuly works with teams of up to 18 people to create these complex sculptures, what influences
Chihuly and why the sculptures were installed in the respective locations. Dress for the weather and be prepared to walk for 45 minutes.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, one of world’s most comprehensive sculpture and botanic experiences, today announces it has received Alexander Calder’s A Two-Faced Guy on long-term loan from the Calder Foundation in New York. It is the second major piece of Calder’s artwork loaned to Meijer Gardens in recent years.

“We are extremely grateful to receive this generous loan from the Calder Foundation,” said David Hooker, president and CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “It was a result of our close relationship with the Calder Foundation and the great success of our recent exhibition of Calder’s work.”

A Two-Faced Guy was displayed in the summer 2009 exhibition “Alexander Calder: 1960 - The Fortieth Anniversary of La Grande Vitesse.” It is currently being installed in one of the most high-profile areas of the Sculpture Park. Located directly across from the scenic waterfall, the sculpture can be seen by tram riders as well as those walking the path.

This is the second long-term loan of Calder’s work in recent years. The first was Two Discs, which came to Meijer Gardens from the Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. It was installed in October 2007. Meijer Gardens was also chosen to temporarily showcase Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker on loan from the Detroit Institute of Arts in the summer of 2007.

“Receiving A Two-Faced Guy is an honor and speaks of the quality of our collection,” said Joseph Becherer, chief curator and vice president. “We will proudly showcase it as a symbol of our dedication to public art in Grand Rapids and the legacy of Alexander Calder.”

Alexander Calder has a strong connection with the city of Grand Rapids. His colossal stabile La Grande Vitesse was the first publicly funded work of art by the National Endowment of the Arts.

• About Alexander Calder

• • Alexander Calder (1898 – 1976) was born in Lawnton, Pennsylvania, the son and grandson of sculptors. Calder received a degree in mechanical engineering before deciding to become an artist. In 1931, he made his first “mobiles,” or kinetic sculptures. By the mid-1930s, his work became more biomorphic reflecting the organic Surrealism movement. From the mid 1950s forward, Calder focused on monumental sculptures that defined architectural spaces. He eventually found a steel fabricator in France who could create stabiles large enough to walk under. Although based in abstraction, Calder’s objects incorporate references to the natural world, interacting directly with their environments as the breeze moves them and light introduces shadowy images. By the 1960s, he was recognized internationally as among the most profound artists of his generation.