HAMBURG.- The Bucerius Kunst Forum is currently presenting Flowers Forever. Flowers in Art and Culture, an extraordinary exhibition that takes visitors on a journey through the artistic and cultural history of flowers from antiquity to the present day. Open now, the exhibition offers a rich display of artworks, sculptures, photographs, media art, and objects from the realms of design and natural sciences.

The exhibition uniquely juxtaposes established positions in art and design history with innovative and emerging artistic approaches, creating a vibrant dialogue between past and present. Visitors gain insight into the profound role flowers play across diverse domains, including culture, mythology, religion, politics, economics, and ecology. Through this lens, the exhibition highlights the flower's omnipresence as a symbol and natural phenomenon.

Featuring works from international collections and specially commissioned installations, Flowers Forever presents the diverse history of flowers across sensory dimensions. Renowned artists such as Ai Weiwei, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Andreas Gursky, Kehinde Wiley, and Hannah Höch are among the contributors. The exhibition builds on the success of its earlier showing at Munich's Kunsthalle, which attracted over 350,000 visitors in 2023.

For centuries, flowers have held deep symbolic significance, both personally and socially. The exhibition explores how flowers have been interpreted across genres and epochs. For example, political and cultural narratives such as the Carnation Revolution and Vietnam War protests are reflected in the featured works, showcasing the flower as a symbol of resistance and protest.

Through literature, art, and politics, the meanings attributed to flowers have evolved. These shifting interpretations are a testament to humanity's tendency to imbue flowers with ever-changing symbolism, highlighting their timeless resonance.

Flowers have long inspired both artistic and scientific inquiry. The exhibition delves into this interplay, illustrating how scientific precision in botanical illustration complements artistic reflections on nature and humanity's relationship with it. The showcased artworks celebrate the beauty and diversity of flowers, often pushing beyond scientific realities to evoke deeper emotional and intellectual responses.

Beyond their symbolic roles, flowers are also commodities, deeply entwined with global markets and ecological systems. Historically revered as status symbols, flowers are now mass-produced and traded worldwide. This shift prompts critical reflection on humanity's impact on the environment, a theme explored by several artists in the exhibition.

These works examine the ecological and social challenges tied to flower production, from consumerism to environmental sustainability. In doing so, they question humanity's role within nature and our responsibility toward it.

To enhance the exhibition experience, a catalogue published by Prestel Verlag offers interdisciplinary insights into flowers as symbols, motifs, and commodities. Through essays and contextual texts, readers can further explore the themes presented in the exhibition.

Organized in collaboration with the Kunsthalle München, Flowers Forever is a must-see event that invites visitors to reflect on the enduring and multifaceted significance of flowers in art and culture. Visit the Bucerius Kunst Forum today to immerse yourself in this thought-provoking and visually stunning exhibition.