The permanent installation in the outdoor area of the Chihuly Garden and Glass center displays much of what was learned during the many botanical garden temporary exhibitions around the U.S. over the past several years.
Chihuly Garden and Glass is rapidly moving from the much-discussed renderings that were the source of a pitched battle for the use of public land near the Seattle Space Needle tourist attraction, to a completed project with an opening date less than a month away. Yesterday, organizers even began selling advance tickets online. Located at the foot of the Seattle Space Needle, hopes are high that this for-profit art operation will revitalize an aging tourist attraction, and the Space Needle’s owners are partners in the project with Chihuly, Inc.
When completed in a few short weeks, Chihuly Garden and Glass will feature interior galleries, outdoor gardens with large art installations, and an indoor Glasshouse, housing one of Chihuly’s largest chandelier-like sculptures. “With the install of each work in the Exhibition Hall and Garden we move one step closer to presenting an experience that will celebrate our region’s creative energy and inspire visitors to engage with the cultural community of the Pacific Northwest,” said Michelle Bufano, the former Pratt Fine Arts Center director who recently was appointed executive director of Chihuly Garden and Glass. “Being part of the collaboration between Dale and his team, our community partners, architects, landscape architects and construction teams to bring this vision to life has been humbling. We cannot wait to open the doors on May 21.”
The new center is being billed as the first time diverse aspects of Chihuly’s ongoing oeuvre will be brought together and displayed in the same space. That will include his drawings, his signature glass series, large architectural installations and objects from the artist’s own personal collections in a long-term exhibition. Among the highlights will be archival pieces from the groundbreaking “Chihuly over Venice” exhibition, as well as newly created pieces like the 100 foot-long Glasshouse sculpture. The facility’s Collections Café will present items from Chihuly’s personal collections of vintage radios, cameras, and accordions in a high-ceilinged, brightly colored dining space.
Though a for-profit venture, the project has reached out to area nonprofits as partners. The Pilchuck Glass School, Pratt Fine Arts Center, ArtsFund and Seattle Public Schools are listed as current community partners with Chihuly Garden and Glass “for involvement and engagement in the arts, including the creation of a science curriculum based on glass blowing for all eighth-graders in the Seattle Public Schools.”
For hours, admission details or to purchase tickets visit www.chihulygardenandglass.com.