forest of dreams: contemporary tree sculpture
October 20, 2023 through February 25, 2024
Forest of Dreams: Contemporary Tree Sculpture offers unexpected visions of these remarkable organisms, showcasing trees in all their power, beauty, strangeness, and glory.
The exhibition features the work of 15 exceptional artists: Emilie Brzezinski, Louise Bourgeois, Nick Cave, Kim Cridler, Tom Czarnopys, Michele Oka Doner, Peter Frie, Hugh Hayden, Jim Hodges, Patrick Jacobs, Maya Lin, Robert Lobe, Roxy Paine, Rona Pondick, and Ai Weiwei.





about the exhibition
Forest of Dreams: Contemporary Tree Sculpture offers unexpected visions of these remarkable organisms, showcasing trees in all their power, beauty, strangeness, and glory.
This engaging and timely exhibition unites the diverse work of national and international artists to explore the multifaceted associations and dimensions of trees—from metaphorical and ecological to the mythological and personal. Forest of Dreams delves deep into the intricate realm of trees and invites guests to reevaluate their relationship with nature and the living world around them.
Trees, as a source of life and as symbols of growth and connectivity, have always held a profound place in human culture and consciousness. Bringing a vast range of materials and methods to the subject, the artists in this exhibition convey the full power and poignancy of trees. Several hybrid sculptures, combining human and tree anatomy, serve to remind us of our close kinship with these complex botanical beings.
The exhibition features the work of 15 exceptional artists: Emilie Brzezinski, Louise Bourgeois, Nick Cave, Kim Cridler, Tom Czarnopys, Michele Oka Doner, Peter Frie, Hugh Hayden, Jim Hodges, Patrick Jacobs, Maya Lin, Robert Lobe, Roxy Paine, Rona Pondick, and Ai Weiwei.
Exhibition Partners
This exhibition is made possible with the support of:
- Bill Padnos and Margy Kaye
- Louis and Helen Padnos Foundation
- The Meijer Foundation
- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation
- Sculpture and Botanic Societies of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
- Michigan Arts and Culture Council, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts
- Townsquare Media