Chihuly at Phoenix Botanical Gardens
We visited the Chihuly exhibiton at the phoenix botanical gardens whilst in Phoenix. Having become slightly disillusioned and bored by a lot of the exhibitions I've visited recently I was suddenly incredibly excited by the experience. I'm trying to work out what made it so wonderful. It was something about being outside in the sun of course! surrounded by the exotic dessert landscape. But also the amazing contrast between the soft, bristly, dry, dusty organic cacti and the hard, bright, colourful, liquid-like rather agressive forms of Chihuly's sculptures that really got my heart beating and feeling utterly inspired and back in love with life! It was very playful, it was part of the landscape it didn't demand my full attention at every moment, it could be chanced upon, it could be seen from many many angles from different parts of the garden, it encouraged me to set up my own compositions in a way, it me feel very creative but without any creative struggle. And although it sounds very romantic I felt surrounded by beauty, which was invigorating.there's also something else, it made me feel human and happy to be human in a way that very often I don't perhaps because I look at a lot of the things we do at the moment and feel bad about them, but this exhibition seemed to make a nature more wonderful, made the cacti more wonderful, enhanced the world, and was in harmony with it. It made me feel hopeful. I think that the fact that I was with family, that I felt this was something lovely Chili could take part in made it more enjoyable: I sometimes find that at art exhibitions with art on the wall is an isolated experience whereas in this garden outside it felt like I could appreciate everything that we were viewing as a group, so it brought together lots of elements that I love all in one place in a single go: sun, nature, family, feeling of being part of a public body all enjoying the same thing, colour, beauty, physical activity and GLASS - transparent, liquid, glowing glass.
Is there anything I can take away from this experience that can contribute to my own work?
A reminder that the best experiences are the ones where the audience can bring something of themselves to the work.
That for me art is a very social thing. If it's not I just don't enjoy it as much.
That art should not force itself, that it should be discovered.
That i would like the natural environment to play more of a role in my work.
And a question for myself: would the digital have enhanced this experience in any way (except of course enabling me to take about 1000 pictures with my camera)? and would a game have been helpful? When it comes to the game, the answer has to be no. Regarding the digital...hmm, well I'm left wanting more of the Chihuly. I sit looking at my photos, I'd like to know more about this guy and others with similar works. I want to go and see more, NOW! Digital on the day - maybe not but some way to extend the experience now - yes, that would make a big difference - and to continue to be involved in some way - more involved. I've been a spectator and now I want to make glass, or interact with the exhibits in some other way maybe?
there are some good pictures available here:
http://www.chihuly.com/installations/DesertBotanicalGarden/DesertBotanicalGarden011.html