My summer bucket list is about a mile long but the first thing on that list was to see the Dale Chihuly exhibition at Franklin Park Conservatory. Monday offered opportunity to make the trek up to the Columbus landmark for a stroll through the flowers and glass art.
We’ll talk about the Conservatory another day but I really wanted show you some pictures of Chihuly’s work. The Seattle based artist does outstanding things with glass, light and color. His style is unmistakable and easily recognizable.
I’m not an art critic but I do know what I like and Chihuly’s work makes me smile. His work is larger than life and something that you simply have to see in person to truly appreciate.
With that said, I am not excited about the placement of most of his pieces at Franklin Park. In my humble opinion, his work is best appreciated when surrounded by elements of nature. It’s hard to view (or photograph) most pieces here without getting backgrounds of building, concrete and steel. But it’s still outstanding and I was impressed with how they incorporated pieces into the butterfly room, pictured above. This room is lush and green and Chihuly’s colorful orbs in the water feel like floating flowers while other pieces appear to be growing from the earth.
Another outstanding element here is the Persian ceiling. If it weren’t such a high traffic area, I would have been tempted to lie down on the floor and stare up at it!
Have a look and see what you think. I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!
Want to know more about Chihuly? See his website, visit the Franklin Park Conservatory or find his work in public spaces across the country.
