Delicate glass blooms emerge from an obsidian pool and colourful glass orbs spill out from a wooden boat—these ethereal sights easily rival the rich horticulture collection at Gardens by the Bay, one of Singapore’s most well-loved nature parks. Designed by famed glass artist Dale Chihuly, 140 sculptural installations including 25 large-scale works, will be on display across the park’s Flower and Cloud Domes, the outdoor gardens, and the gallery until August 1. Marking the American artist’s first major garden show in Asia, The Dale Chihuly: Glass in Bloom exhibition will showcase some of his most vibrant works.
Highlights include pieces from his Boats, Chandeliers, and Fiori series, which are bold and striking at every turn. Fans of his work will be in for a treat, as familiar works such as the Moon—a massive spherical installation last shown at his landmark exhibition Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem 2000, as well as the Cloud Forest Persians, which debuted at London’s Royal Botanical Gardens in 2019, will be on display. Setting Sun, a fiery-looking piece, was crafted specially for this exhibition.
At Dragonfly Lake, keep your eyes peeled for two creations that appear to float effortlessly upon the water. There’s Float Boat from the artist’s Boats collections, which see colourful glass forms scattered in and around a boat. This scene was inspired by the time Chihuly tossed his newly-created glass pieces into the river as a test, only to have local teenagers in wooden boats pick them up as they floated downstream. Nearby is Wallas Wallas, a playful recreation of his earlier work, Niijima Floats, which feature onion-shaped glass pieces resembling Washington’s sweet Walla Walla onions.
Meanwhile, Serene Garden houses several of the artist’s works including the Ethereal White Persians installation, which sees translucent white glass bloom like flowers from a reflective black pool; as well as the Palazzo Ducale Tower, which features hand-blown glass spiral dramatically towards all directions like uncontrolled flames.
More memorable works grace the air-conditioned conservatories, including Chihuly’s eye-catching Electric Yellow & Deep Coral Tower, as well as the tubular Neodymium Reeds, whose organic form complements the surrounding lush greenery. Within the Cloud Forest, the Cloud Forest Persians cascades beautifully near the indoor waterfall, creating an unforgettable floral scene.
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