Japanese Garden
Design and Sculpture
Since its beginning, Meijer Gardens has joined together beautiful green spaces with extraordinary works of art and the natural environment. As a centuries-old, yet timeless horticultural presentation style, the Japanese Garden complements our mission and values, and allows us to explore unique ways to bring the art of the garden and the art of sculpture together. Adding such an international garden has been part of our master planning process for more than a decade and we have selected an ideal location on our grounds that includes water, elevation changes and quiet surroundings. The addition will significantly broaden our horticulture and sculpture collections to include international influences that will enhance the guest experience and cultural diversity of our offerings. Our Japanese Garden will feature areas of planned, horticultural design as well as natural, undeveloped areas.
Highly unique to our Japanese Garden and in harmony with our mission, will be the inclusion of landmark works of Contemporary sculpture by international masters aesthetic and form are in keeping with the essence of the Japanese garden tradition and the aesthetic and philosophy behind it. All of which are central to our mission to promote the enjoyment of horticulture, sculpture, the natural environment and the arts.
The first confirmed sculpture is a major work by Anish Kapoor one of the most acclaimed artists working today. Measuring approximately 10’h.x5’w.x2’d. “Untitled” is one of the few works of granite the artist has created. The three large circular units run concave, convex, to concave from top to bottom and are highly polished to a mirror finish. Each of the circular units is intended to reflect the surrounding environment to both enhance and manipulate the viewer’s understanding of a given space.
About Hoichi Kurisu
The Japanese Garden begins with an artful design by Hoichi Kurisu and the firm Kurisu International. Kurisu has been designing and building gardens for more than 40 years. His work ranks among the finest Japanese gardens outside of Japan including Portland Japanese Gardens (OR), Anderson Gardens (Rockford, IL), Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden (Delray Beach, FL).
Kurisu International, founded in 1972, is a landscape design/build firm whose unique gardens create “inner space” for inspiration and healing. The firm’s approach to landscape is based on rigorous study of local conditions, sensitivity to history and above all, humility. The result is whole-system design, a methodology deeply rooted in the specificity of place, people and purpose, and uniquely suited to draw out nature’s ability to meet humanity’s need for inspiration, restoration and healing.