In a fast-paced, stressful everyday life, Lu Gardens invites visitors to take a break in nature and explores outdoor art exhibits inspired by the Zen art of origami.
Garden Origami features 13 carving stops across Orlando’s 50-acre plant oasis. The outdoor art showcase, which will be on display until early September, aims to inspire guests and give them a different perspective on the garden.
“We will introduce our gardening collections in a different way by holding an art exhibition. Jennifer Da Hollander, executive director of gardens, said: “Nature is an original palette of art. Color and Everything you create with patterns comes from nature.”
The sculpture takes the form of paper cranes, horses, planes, birds, squirrels and other faunas cast in aluminum, bronze and steel. These were created by Santa Fe-based artists Jennifer and Kevin Box and were assembled for the exhibition in 2013. The works exhibited at LeuGardens were created with the help of half a dozen other artists with expertise in origami.
The most complicated of these is “Flying Folds.” This is a complex origami crane modeled after the creation of one of Box’s core collaborators, Robert J. Lang. The sculpture required the development of a lost wax casting technique that involved 35 steps over 12 weeks.
“The exciting thing about origami is that each piece starts with uncut paper. For me, it’s a great rationale for life,” Kevin Box said of the exhibit in a YouTube video. “For a moment, or a day, or a situation, what we do is really define us.”
As visitors roam, they can learn more about the inspiration behind the artwork by reading the plaques that correspond to each sculpture. Narrated audio tours can also be used by scanning a QR code or calling the phone number listed on each sign.
“Our world is a very busy place. When you come here, the gardens give you that spiritual break and rejuvenation. This exhibition adds a lot to the experience,” says D’Hollander. I did. “The Pegasus sculpture is tied to UCF, my hometown university. There are also some very quiet moments that I really like. The sculpture will be added to the area where it appears to have been created.”
Guests should be careful not to climb the sculpture, but paper-imagined creases and textures will allow you to see subtle details of each piece. Inside the Welcome Center, visitors can see a “inside-out” display where folded small paper pieces and a large version of paper folding are folded and unfolded.
The exhibit fits Leu Gardens’ mission to find more ways to engage with the community. Other recent efforts include Dog Day, extra members’ time, free field trips for students, and an improved website.
Leu Gardens leadership wants to hold public meetings and find ways to reach out to the community to discuss the master plan for public spaces.
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If you’re going
The Origami Garden will be on display on the 1920 N. Forest Avenue in Orlando until September 3rd. The garden is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children aged 4-17. Members, children under the age of 4 and active military forces will join for free. Free admission is usually provided on the first Monday of each month. Details: 407-246-2620 or leugardens.org
