News Releases

Print Friendly Version

For Immediate Release 

MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN ANNOUNCES ORIGAMIINTHEGARDEN 
Daytime exhibit will be open April-October  

WHAT: Origamiinthegarden 

WHEN: April 25-October 11 

WHERE: Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., south St. Louis 

COST: Included with Garden admission, free for members 

SPONSORS: Pohlman Legacy 

INFO: mobot.org/origami

A monumental sculpture exhibit will be on display at the Missouri Botanical Garden in 2020 when Origamiinthegarden opens this spring. 

Origamiinthegarden is a custom travelling sculpture exhibition created by Santa Fe artists Jennifer and Kevin Box that captures the delicate nature of this paper art form in museum-quality metals. The exhibition features Kevin Box’s own larger-than-life compositions as well as collaborations with world renowned origami artists Te Jui Fu, Beth Johnson, Michael G. LaFosse and Robert J. Lang. 

The Monumental Show has more than 20 large-scale sculptures that include flying birds, emerging butterflies, floating boats and soaring paper airplanes that will be placed throughout the Garden’s iconic locations. The crown jewel of the exhibition is Master Peace, a 25-foot sculpture of 1,000 stainless steel origami peace cranes.  

Another highlight is “Painted Ponies,” the first collaboration between Kevin Box and Chinese origami artist Te Jui Fu. The ponies display the colorful papers that are often used in origami, as well as another Japanese paper-folding technique called “kirigami,” which means “cutting paper.” Here, scissors are used to make four cuts in the paper square to more easily achieve the details of the pony’s legs and ears. The symbol on the back of the large pony is a collaborative signature. The Chinese character of Te Jui's last name, Fu, means “teacher,” and the box that encloses the character represents Kevin’s last name. 

The travelling exhibit has made previous appearances at other botanical gardens throughout the U.S., including Morton Arboretum in Chicago and Naples Botanical Garden. Kevin Box said “the natural and yet scientific setting of a botanical garden makes it the ideal setting for the exhibit that brings together art, science and nature to entertain, educate and inspire our senses in an outdoor setting.” 

“Botanical gardens are the most beautiful living, outdoor museums of the world,” he said. “There is no better place for the exhibition of a sculptural art form like origami, that originates from paper and the plants that form it.” 

Origamiinthegarden makes its St. Louis debut on the weekend of Chinese Culture Days at the Garden, April 25-26, and will be on display through October 11. 

The exhibit is included with Missouri Botanical Garden admission of $14 for adults and free for children ages 12 and under. St. Louis City and County residents enjoy discounted admission of $6 and free admission on most Wednesday and Saturday mornings until noon. Missouri Botanical Garden members are free.   

The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in south St. Louis, accessible from Interstate 44 at the Vandeventer exit and from Interstate 64 at the Kingshighway North and South exit. Free parking is available on site and two blocks west at the corner of Shaw and Vandeventer.  

Email cmartin@mobot.org for photos of the sculptures. For more information about the exhibit, please visit mobot.org/origami. 

Members help support the Garden’s operations and world-changing work in plant science and conservation. Learn more at www.mobot.org/membership.  

# # #  

The Missouri Botanical Garden’s mission is “to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life.” Today, 161 years after opening, the Missouri Botanical Garden is a National Historic Landmark and a center for science, conservation, education and horticultural display.