NASHVILLE, TN.- The highly acclaimed art of Dale Chihuly, exploring the visual relationship of glass and nature, will appear in the glorious setting of Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art opening May 25, 2010 and on display through October 31, 2010.

The show, Chihuly at Cheekwood, features thousands of stunning, hand-blown glass sculptures on display throughout the botanical garden at Cheekwood, in various ponds and within the Museum of Art and Frist Learning Center.

"Dale Chihuly's masterpieces have enthralled audiences around the world," said Jack Becker, Ph.D., President /CEO of Cheekwood. "We're delighted to offer the opportunity to experience his spectacular glass sculptures in this context. Visitors will witness a show in which his dramatic art and Cheekwood’s landscape will stretch their imaginations and offer a new way of experiencing plants and art. It is the perfect exhibition for us to celebrate our 50th anniversary"

Some of the highlights of the exhibition include:

Saffron Tower—a 30-foot yellow neon sculpture will be installed in the Herb Garden in Cheekwood’s east gardens.

Sun—a 15-foot radiant yellow orb will be installed on the Museum of Art’s front lawn.

Mille Fiori – a gigantic garden of glass composed of bold forms in vibrant colors will be installed in Cheekwood’s reflection pool.

Chandeliers – two spectacular installations will be housed in the museum

Although Cheekwood will present the largest display, the Cheekwood is partnering with two Nashville arts institutions to bring Chihuly’s work to the Middle Tennessee community.

On extended view from May 14, 2010 to January 2, 2011, Chihuly at the Frist will present a variety of colorful and energetic installations designed specifically for the institution’s upper-level galleries. Selections will be drawn from many of the acclaimed artist’s well-known series, including the Seaforms, Macchia, Ikebana, and Persians. Particular highlights include a delightful garden-like Mille Fiori assemblage and an impressive free-standing Tower. The sculptural forms will be accompanied by an instructional video as well as several two-dimensional works, which provide insight into the artist’s creative and production process.

On May 20 – 22, 2010, the Nashville Symphony will celebrate a Chihuly weekend of performances, featuring Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle. Chihuly has created a spectacular set design with his artwork for this production. Six individual 14-foot glass sculptures, which represent the castle doors, will be revealed during the course of the performance. Cheekwood is thrilled to partner with these area institutions to maximize the benefit to the community.

Cheekwood will have a full schedule of programs, including tours, demonstrations, and musical performances to coincide with the run of Chihuly at Cheekwood. Information about tickets and parking will be available online in mid to late March. Please visit Cheekwood’s web site, www.cheekwood.org, for updates as you plan your visit.

Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly is most frequently lauded for revolutionizing the studio glass movement by expanding its original premise of the solitary artist working in a studio environment to encompass the notion of collaborative teams and a division of labor within the creative process. However, Chihuly's contribution extends well beyond the boundaries both of this movement and even the field of glass: his achievements have influenced contemporary art in general. Chihuly’s practice of using teams has led to the development of complex, multipart sculptures of dramatic beauty that place him in the leadership role of moving blown glass out of the confines of the small, precious object and into the realm of large-scale contemporary sculpture.

Chihuly’s spectacular creations are found in more than 200 museums worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Garden exhibitions of his work have been mounted at the New York Botanical Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden and the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.