Grand Rapids Learning Exchange

June 4, 2010 – January 2, 2011

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 the namesake institution’s 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.

(Taken from Meijer Garden press release.)

April 30 – September 30, 2010

The work of renowned artist Dale Chihuly will be the subject of a large-scale outdoor exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Fourteen monumental glass sculptures will be sited in locations as diverse as the English Perennial Garden, Woodland Shade Garden, Children’s Garden, and Sculpture Park as well as several wetland areas and the great lawn fronting the landmark Tropical Conservatory. Chihuly designed the exhibition specifically to respond to the horticultural focus and natural conditions of each of the respective sites.

Chihuly at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park: A New Eden celebrates the efforts of one the world’s foremost artists across the campus of one of the nation’s most unique cultural organizations. In addition to the exhibition, two permanent installations are on display: Gilded Champagne Gardens Chandelier in Meijer Gardens’ Atrium and the newly installed Lena’s Garden suspended from the ceiling of the Café.

(From Meijer Gardens press release)

January 29 – May 9, 2010

American artist Michele Oka Doner is widely celebrated for her sculpture, installations and public art projects, and is similarly acclaimed for her prints, jewelry and functional objects. Among the most versatile artists working today, the inspiration she draws from nature is the defining factor and unifying force across her repertoire in both formal and spiritual terms. This exhibition, Oka Doner’s largest to date, examines the breadth of her endeavors from recent figurative projects in bronze and on paper to iconic functional objects in bronze and silver. Of special note will be her site specific installation of more than 1,500 recently completed ceramic soul catchers completed during her residency at the famed Nymphenburg porcelain studios in Munich, Germany. This exhibition is timed to coincide with the completion of Beneath the Leafy Crown, the expansive 1,200 square foot bronze and terrazzo floor commissioned by Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

(From Meijer Garden press release)

November 18 – January 3, 2010
Lighting Ceremony – November 17, 2009 (call for time)

Meijer Gardens transforms into a world of winter magic with the glow of 300,000 lights, more than 40 captivating international trees and displays, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and more surprises than can fit under the tree. The Gardens Holiday Express train exhibit, a holiday favorite designed by railway garden designer Paul Busse, winds its way through three separate indoor gardens.

October 9, 2009 – January 3, 2010

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003) was one of several talented British sculptors who burst upon the international art scene in the late 1950s. He established a critically acclaimed body of work that continued to develop well into the late 20th century. Inspired by the career of Henry Moore, Chadwick’s sculpture displays a fascinating evolution of personal images through powerful series of abstracted human figures, animals, birds and imaginary beasts. This retrospective exhibition, the first in the United States since the artist’s death in 2003, features 43 sculptures and 5 lithographs from the permanent collection of the Phillip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College. Beginning with the highly geometric and strongly linear figures and beasts of the 1950s, this exhibition follows the chronology of the master’s career through to the majestic and sensuous male and female forms of the 1980s.

This exhibition is organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions in conjunction with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Sculpture from the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College

(information copied from official Meijer Gardens press release)

October 9, 2009 – January 3, 2010

Although celebrated globally as one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century, Henry Moore (1898 -1986) was also a master draftsman and printmaker. Although he first experimented with printmaking in the 1930s, it became a significant part of his repertoire beginning in the 1960s. This exhibition draws from a collection of 24 master prints recently presented to Meijer Gardens by Lillian Heidenberg, one of Mr. Moore’s primary gallerists. Moore explored many of his major sculptural themes in etchings and lithographs including seated and reclining figures, mother and child, and animals. This exhibition is the premier presentation of work from this important gift to Meijer Gardens. The Lillian Heidenberg Gift to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

(Information copied from Meijer Gardens press release)