This exhibition of new work explores the intimate relationship between humankind and nature. At the heart of the exhibition is an installation offering the viewer a solitary, sublime experience of being enveloped in nature. Accompanying mixed media artworks examine the womb as a natural cocoon.

Although never formally trained in the visual arts or art history, Fred Meijer was deeply interested in cultural endeavors and history, and had a long interest in sculpture. 

Through the finest examples of three-dimensional practice (sculpture, ceramics, performance, installation and video art), this exhibition emphasizes the relationship between disability and the fundamental human experiences of change and embodiment.

This landmark exhibition will feature internationally renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei. Opening on January 27, 2017, “Ai Weiwei at Meijer Gardens: Natural State” is his first show in the upper Midwest as well as the first of its kind for the artist at a botanical garden or sculpture park.

Almost Home: Grand Rapids in Focus

This exhibition invites artists to reflect on their experiences with Grand Rapids as the conceptual foundation of new work.

This exhibition is a survey of work by ceramic artists working in Japan today. From the functional to the sculptural, 25 carefully selected works that acknowledge tradition but embrace the avant-garde will be on display. 

This groundbreaking exhibition is exclusive to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and will host to Nash’s works in the sculpture galleries, conservatories and across the gardens and grounds.

More than forty selected major works by more than twenty sculptors—including Magdalena Abakanowicz, Anthony Caro, Louise Nevelson, George Segal, Antony Gormley, Roxy Paine, and others—will be featured.

A sculptural entity in its own right, contemporary glass is marked by creative, conceptual and formal explorations in keeping with the dynamic persona of contemporary art at large. 

Chinese artist Zhang Huan is a sculptor, painter, photographer, performance and installation artist; his impact in broadening the global dimensions of contemporary art has been immense.

Hanneke Beaumont’s figures represent a universal type, neither telling male nor female, that are carefully and pensively posed.

Five works were on display on the front lawn.

This exhibition was a survey of contemporary sculpture around the subject of the human figure as both an object and a metaphor. Considering a wide variety of formal and conceptual approaches by artists from across the United States and around the world, the exhibition illustrated the diversity and depth of the figure in Contemporary Art from more literal terms to those which are implied or symbolically stated. Building on the strength and variety of the figurative tradition of Meijer Garden’s acclaimed permanent collection; this exhibition explored a renewal of interest in the subject from objects to installations while surveying a broad spectrum of concepts, forms and materials.

Beverly Pepper has been a major force across the international scene since the 1960s. This exhibition focused exclusively on her pioneering efforts in metal beginning with her debut at the famed Spoleto exhibition in 1962 through major recent efforts. Charting her innovation and determination, iconic works from across her repertoire were on view. This was the first major presentation on Pepper in recent years and the first to explore the power and vision of her work in steel. From daring, welded steel of the early 1960s, to pristine geometric works of the late 1960s and 1970s, to the upright sentinels known in public and private collections around the world, the exhibition carried through to ascending monoliths of recent years. This exhibition was accompanied by archival information and a fully illustrated catalogue. Charting her innovation and determination, iconic works from across her repertoire were on view.

American sculptor Deborah Butterfield is among the most respected and acclaimed artists of her generation. Her horses, like Meijer Gardens’ own Cabin Creek (1999), have been the focus of great interest as much for their creative use of materials as for their craftsmanship. This exhibition featured the installation of both large-scale as well as pedestal-size horses. Each unique example was composed of a wide variety of materials from found and reclaimed metals, to branches and earth. Although each sculpture was inspired by a specific horse Butterfield has known, the works are not portraits in the traditional sense, but representations of the essence of that creature. For Butterfield, it is not merely the physical presence of such noble creatures she hopes to convey, but their spirit and energy as well. This exhibition featured the installation of both large-scale as well as pedestal-size horses. 

World renowned for its collections and exhibition program of Modern and Contemporary sculpture, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosted its premier invitational exhibition of work by emerging sculptors. Selected from across the United States and around the world, artists working three-dimensionally and through installations, were included in this first annual event. Artists were chosen from across the contemporary scene anticipating a wide array of conceptual and formal approaches in the ever-evolving definition of sculpture today. 

The highly inventive figures and animal forms of Welsh born sculptor Laura Ford have been the focus of widespread critical acclaim across the United Kingdom, and increasingly, throughout Europe.  Utilizing a wide variety of materials and found objects, Ford provided creatures which initially disarmed or charmed the viewer with humor and warmth, but are ultimately poignant reminders of the frailties of human condition or the inequities of social order. The use of animal imagery to illustrate human circumstances called to mind traditions ranging from Aesop to Beatrix Potter, yet the realization of form and the power of message conveyed is decidedly contemporary. This was the sculptor’s first solo exhibition in the United States. This exhibition was organized by Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg, Germany in cooperation with the artist and Meijer Gardens.      

American master Jim Dine has been a major force across the contemporary scene from the origins of the Pop Art movement to the present. Although revered for his paintings and graphic work, his prolific and equally profound endeavors as a sculptor are less well known.  This retrospective exhibition was the first of its kind and traced the origins of Dine’s sculpture from rarely scene early work of the late 1950s and early 1960s through to his most current efforts. Iconic themes that have occupied his attention, ranging from tools to the Venus, to the heart and, most recently, Pinocchio, as well as lesser known, but equally reflective subjects were examined in detail. This comprehensive exhibition featured works in the sculpture galleries and neighboring terrace as well in interior garden conservatories. This exhibition was organized by Meijer Gardens.  

A sculpture by each of the following artists were displayed in the entry ways, foyer and front lawns: Daina Shobrys (NYC), Kevin Box (Santa Fe, NM), Albert LaVergne (PawPaw, MI), Ellen Rogers (Buffalo, NY), Michael Winger (SilverSprings, MD), Ira Sapir (Chicago, IL), Michael Maguire (Waco, TX), Mark Rumsey (Grand Rapids),  Deborah Davidson (Somerville, MA), Steven Dobbins (Mt. Airy, MD), Sy Gresser (Silver Springs, MD), Jeff Tippett (East Grand Rapids), Mike Baur (West Chicago, IL), Bob Emser (Eureka, IL), Dusty Folwarczny (Chicago, IL), Ted Sitting Crow Garner (Chicago, IL), David Greenwood (Grand Rapids, MI), Terrence Karpowicz (Chicago, IL), Amanda Katz (New York, NY), Steve Maloney (Rancho Sante Fe, CA), Steven Mankouche (AnnArbor, MI), Julia Rogers (Bowling Green, OH), Eric Stephenson (Chicago, IL), John Warner (Walker, MI), Alison Williams (Goffstown, NH), Michael Young (Chicago, IL).

Through the generosity of Fred and Lena Meijer, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park 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 displayed 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 examined the present endeavors of numerous iconic masters from across the contemporary scene and collectively commemorated the breadth and depth of the permanent collection developed with the support of Fred and Lena Meijer.

A large-scale outdoor exhibition, fourteen monumental glass sculptures were located 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 conservatories. Chihuly designed the exhibition specifically to respond to the horticultural focus and natural conditions of each of the respective sites. 

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, examined 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 was 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 was 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.

Lynn Chadwick: In Contact Sculpture from the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003) was one of several talented British sculptors who burst upon the international art scene in the late 1950s. 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 featured 43 sculptures and five 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 followed the chronology of the master’s career through to the majestic and sensuous male and female forms of the 1980s. This exhibition was organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions in conjunction with Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.      

Alexander Calder (1898-1976), profoundly changed the course of modern sculpture and notions of public art. La Grande Vitesse in downtown Grand Rapids dates to 1969. The colossus was heralded as among Calder’s masterworks and was America’s first public sculpture project funded by the National Endowment of the Arts through the Art in Public Places Program. This exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Calder Foundation, focused specifically on work from 1969.  Mobiles, stabiles, ceramics, gouaches, prints and drawings were featured.  Works related to La Grande Vitesse were highlighted – including the artist’s large-scale maquette for the sculpture. 

American sculptor and installation artist Jonathan Borofsky frequently utilizes stylized descriptions of male and female figures to suggest the commonalities shared across humanity. Central to this exhibition was a large-scale installation utilizing hundreds of color lexan figures, light and sound. Large-scale presentations of Borofsky’s major projects were on display, including his recent project for the Beijing Olympics.

This exhibition focused on recent work and forthcoming projects and Plensa’s use of the figure and text. 

Seventy-three sculptures including "Little Dancer" and "Aged Fourteen" were the focus of this exhibition.  

This exhibition, the first major museum presentation of its kind in West Michigan, contained more than 80 objects representing approximately 30 cultures of sub-Saharan Africa.  The sculpture – predominately masks and figures – were associated with ritual and religious ceremonies.  Additionally, connections to the permanent collection at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park and the development of Modern Art were included. 

George Rickey (1907-2002) is internationally regarded as among the most inventive and influential sculptors of the 20th century.  

British sculptor Sophie Ryder’s unique animal and hybrid imagery in wire and bronze were complimented by extensive investigations in drawing, collage and prints.  

"The Thinker" was given to the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1922 by Horace H. Rackham, and has never been loaned to any other organization — until this exhibition.  

American sculptor Patrick Dougherty (b. 1945) creates large-scale, architectonic sculptures composed of sticks, twigs, and branches.  

Canadian-based sculptor Vanessa Paschakarnis has received critical acclaim for her bold abstract imagery and sensitive treatment of materials. 

Following its debut in Grand Rapids, the exhibition began a national tour in 2007.

West Michigan artist David Huang’s metal vessels are carefully conceived organic forms painstakingly fashioned in copper through hammering and molding techniques.

Central to this exhibition, his largest in the United States to date, were the colossal stone Grand Rapids Arch and the related Herd of Arches, which is comprised of 11 smaller scale arches.  A film showing the installation of the Grand Rapids Arch and an interview with Andy Goldsworthy was shown in the Snell Sculpture Education Center.  This exhibition was unique to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park and did not travel.

Pieces displayed in this exhibition were on loan from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC along with various contemporary artists from Umbria, Italy.

This retrospective exhibition was the first to honor the artist in the United States and was developed for Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park with the artist and his galleries in Berlin and Cologne.  

This exhibition inaugurated the 10th anniversary celebration of Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.

This exhibition, developed in conjunction with the artist, examined the course of di Suvero’s career with sculptures on display in both interior and exterior settings.

This exhibition was timed to coincide with the opening of the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.

George Segal: America

Quiet Beauty: Fifty Centuries of Japanese Folk Ceramics

Louise Bourgeouis: Maman

Anthony Caro

From the Collection of Ward A. Paul and Charles G. Schoenknecht

Color and Light: Chihuly at the Gardens

Magdalena Abakanowicz: The Skulls

Picasso: the Artist as Sculptor

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen Exhibition

Master Teachers II: West Michigan Ceramics Faculty

Roy Lichtenstein and the Bonsai Tree

Rodin’s Obsession: the Gates of Hell, Selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Collection

Air, Space and Light: the Sculpture of John Safer

Marshall Fredericks and the Outdoor Museum: Illustrations by Christine Collins Woomer

Sharon Sommers

Monumental Elegance: The Sculpture and Drawings of Philip Grausman

Tom Condon and Julie Moore

Philip Grausman, Big Heads

Master Teachers, West Michigan Sculpture Faculty

Rodin: Cornerstone of Modern Sculpture

James Karsina and Rick Stevens

Sculptor on Sculpture: The Photographs of Alexander Liberman

Richard Hunt: American Visionary

Richard Hunt: Rust Garden

Winifred Godfrey Paintings

Imaging the Divine: Sacred and Spiritual Themes by Marshall Fredericks

Salavadore Dali’s Carmen

Floragrande: Paintings by Winifred Godfrey

Rivertown Artists’ Guild Presents Nature’s Images

Texture and Poetry—The Michigan Landscape Photography by Charles De Vries and Jonathan Rues

Cows on Parade

Landscapes and Garden Views

Celebrating Humanity: The Outdoor Sculpture of Keith Haring

Moments to Remember: Photographs by Ray Stevens

Patrick Dougherty: Jug or Naught

Natural Transformations: Robert Divita, Shilin Hora, Robert Park Skye

A Dance of Color and Light: Photography by David Mullen

Inside and Out: New Paintings and Drawings by Michael Pfleghaar

 8 Landscape Artists

Echoes of Eden

Sculpture Passion—One Man’s Vision

Steel Your Imagination: The Re-Creations of Stuart Padnos

Nancy Fuller and Sally Thielen: Harmonious Spirit

Sandra K. Jackoboice: Botanical Portraits

Glenda Van Raalte and Linda Baker: Of Gardens and Waterways

Il Giardino di Perugia: Photographic works by Claudia Liberatore

Sculpture Michigan

David Mullen and Patricia Hendricks: Color Harmonies

Kinnebrew: One Man, Many Visions

Debra Reid Jenkins

Up Close and Personal: The Flower Paintings of Winifred Godfrey

Butterfly Pastels

M.C. Kanouse: Watercolor Views

Witness: Endangered Species of North America