MEDIA, PA.- Tyler Arboretum invites the public to experience STEVE TOBIN: IN THE LIGHT, a large-scale contemporary sculpture exhibition. The arboretum’s diverse landscapes will feature massive outdoor sculptures by Steve Tobin, an internationally acclaimed artist showing in his native Philadelphia for the first time.

Opening Friday, Oct. 16, the exhibition will showcase more than 50 of Tobin's nature-inspired pieces across 15 unique sites throughout the arboretum. Full of movement and color, the sculptures will amplify the natural forms, dynamic forces and layered history of Tyler’s 650-acre landscape. The weekend kickoff will include guided tours, festivities, food and drink to enjoy on Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18. Tyler Arboretum is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and exhibition programs and events will be announced throughout the coming year.

STEVE TOBIN: IN THE LIGHT will feature awe-inspiring works in steel and bronze representing several of the artist’s signature series. Towering twisting STEELROOTS will extend 30 feet into the sky, while life-sized BRONZEROOTS will reveal the complexity and unseen strength of root systems. The mirror-like polished steel CLOUDS will reflect the surrounding landscape and invite visitors to see themselves, the artwork and the natural world from a new perspective.

"Tyler Arboretum is exactly where I want to bring this work. There's something indescribable about placing sculpture in a living landscape — the art and the place change each other. Tyler’s landscapes are filled with intimate natural settings, like living vignettes, perfect for sculptural display. My work digs into the hidden power of root systems and the forces of nature, and that's a conversation Tyler's already having with every visitor who walks its pathways. Coming home to do this, here with my neighbors and family, is a dream realized," Tobin said.

STEVE TOBIN: IN THE LIGHT will continue through October 2027, offering visitors the chance to experience these works in autumn color, winter stillness, spring bloom, and summer canopy. The sculptures invite the viewer to interact: touch them, lie down beneath them, sit inside them to engage in the full panoramic view of each work, and marvel at the play of light and shadow.

"We are delighted to bring this world-class public art experience to the region," said Kathryn Ombam, Tyler Arboretum Interim Executive Director. "Both first-time visitors and our longtime Tyler supporters will experience new ways to engage with our beloved arboretum. We hope bringing art inspired by nature to this property will help visitors see Tyler Arboretum with fresh eyes and allow all of us to reimagine our favorite vistas with the immersive and joyful quality of Steve’s work."

Tobin's award-winning work has traveled the globe, with exhibitions in Osaka, Japan; Maui; and Houston. He most recently exhibited his work in Beidaihe, China, and on Broadway in New York City, where NEW YORK ROOTS was voted Best Public Art in NYC in 2025.

Raised in Philadelphia’s Main Line, Steve Tobin is internationally acclaimed for breathtaking large-scale sculptures inspired by trees, roots, geology, and the hidden structures of the natural world. Tobin’s sculptures of steel, bronze, glass, and ceramics have been exhibited across the globe. Tobin’s TRINITY ROOT, a 20-foot-tall, 3-ton bronze sculpture, stands outside St. Paul’s Chapel as the only permanent art installation commemorating the attack on New York’s World Trade Center. His 2024 exhibition EARTH TO SKY was the largest in Hawaii’s history.

Over the last forty years, Tobin has mastered highly innovative techniques, applying his knowledge of science to art making. Merging scientific methods with industrial processes and recycled materials, his sculptural works defy time, gravity, and chemistry while channeling the existential forces of nature.

Tyler Arboretum, one of the oldest and largest arboreta in the northeastern United States, sits on 650 acres just 30 minutes west of Philadelphia in Media, PA. Tyler Arboretum is known for its plant collections, champion trees, and historic buildings, with 17 miles of hiking trails through woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. The Arboretum offers workshops, classes, kids camps, and tours for adults and children throughout the year.