Dale Chihuly: Ikebana: A selection from the Gerard L. Cafesjian Collection

May 18, 2013 – April 06, 2014 "Chihuly is one of America’s most inventive and powerful artists… his creations are bound to go down in history."  
Thomas Hoving, former Director of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art


Dale Chihuly (b. 1941) has been described as a “phenomenon,” and his place in the history of art is assured.  During the more than 35 years of his working life, Chihuly has almost single-handedly elevated the public perception of glass, creating forms that are now considered on an equal par with the traditional arts of painting, sculpture and architecture.

Ikebana is a Japanese art of flower arrangement, which has spiritual and philosophical implications, as well as deep historical roots. Dale Chihuly called his floral compositions "Ikebana," being fascinated by the unique Japanese floral arrangements. Ikebana has attracted the artist not only by its concept, but also with its sound. Ikebanas are one of the distinctive compositions created by Chihuly and feature free-form stems and blossoms arranged with Venetian vases or in large-scale installations, which create an impression of a blossoming trellis.