'Origami in the Garden' Set for Mounts

Emerging Peace
(Photo courtesy of KevinBoxStudio
& Mounts Botanical Garden)

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, FL – December 11, 2023) Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden is proud to announce the Grand Opening of its next major exhibition in Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden, a beautiful 20-acre oasis located just minutes from downtown West Palm Beach.
 
ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN
January 7 through May 12, 2024
 
Created by Santa Fe artists Jennifer and Kevin Box, 20 larger-than-life sculptures inspired by the ancient Japanese art of origami will emerge skyward throughout Mounts—each one a stunning merger of art and nature enhancing and celebrating the verdant environment.

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“Be among the first to visit ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN as it officially opens at Mounts Botanical Garden,” invites Curator/Director Rochelle Wolberg. “This extraordinary exhibit has been seen by 2 million people across the United States, and we are thrilled to now have it here.”
 
From traditional soaring cranes and gliding planes, to galloping ponies, emerging butterflies, and even a boat, Kevin Box takes origami to another level, transforming traditional Japanese topics into museum-quality metal sculptures. ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN features not only his compositions, but also moving collaborations with world-renowned origami artists Robert J. Lang, Te Jui Fu, Beth Johnson, and Michael G. LaFosse.
 
Special Grand Opening Activities on January 7
To mark the opening of ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN, Mounts will be offering numerous activities for visitors of all ages celebrating both the exhibit and Japanese culture, including:
++ Ronin Taiko Japanese Drum Troupe – performances at 11 am and 1 pm
++ Origami Paper Folding, including flowers, carrots, dogs, tigers, and hearts
++ Cherry Blossom Painting       
++ Origami Coloring Book          
++ An on-going Collaborative Community Art Project. Visitors will have the opportunity to fold origami hearts and write a wish for themselves, the community, the Garden, or the world. All of the origami wishes will be hung from branches, creating a piece of community art in the Mounts Pavilion.
++ Food Trucks
 
“Among the thoughtful and inspirational titles of the origami creations at Mounts Botanical Garden are Star Unfolding, Rising Cranes, Pegasus Unfolded, White Bison, Painted Ponies, Emerging Peace, Flying Folds, and more. One highlight of the exhibit is certain to be Master Peace, the 25-foot sculpture representing 1,000 stainless steel origami peace cranes,” adds Wolberg.
 
“The natural and yet scientific setting of a botanical garden makes it the ideal environment for an exhibit that combines art, science, and nature to entertain, educate, and inspire the senses of visitors enjoying both the art and the outdoor setting,” explains artist Kevin Box. “Botanical Gardens are the most beautiful living, outdoor museums in the world. There is no better place for the exhibition of a sculptural art form like origami, which actually originates from paper and the plants that form it.”
 
Mounts Botanical Garden is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm. (Last entry at 3 pm.) Admission to ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN at Mounts is $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (65+), college students, and military with ID; $13 for ages 6-17; and free for children under 6 and reciprocal gardens. Admission is by credit/debit card ONLY; no cash. For more info and/or to purchase tickets in advance, please visit https://www.mounts.org/events/.
 
Exhibit Sponsors for ORIGAMI IN THE GARDEN
+ Outdoor Sculptures: Leighton Candler & Mimi McMaken, Jon & Whitney Clay, Randy & Rebecca Doane, Florida Weekly, Hanley Foundation, Roger & Melanie Lawson, Kit Pannill, Lou Pollack (in memory of Renee Rotta), Lesly  S. Smith, Van Leeuwen & Company, Zimmerman Tree Service
+ Indoor Sculptures: Ruth Arneson & Rodney Johnson, Braman Motorcars, Gretta & Jack Curry, The Harbor Financial Group at Morgan Stanley
 
Mounts Botanical Garden & Bloomberg Connects
Explore Anytime, Anywhere with Mobile Garden Guide
Visitors can now explore Mounts Botanical Garden anytime from anywhere across the globe with Mounts’ Mobile Garden Guide. Launched in partnership with Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is designed to elevate and enrich the visitor experience by making it easy to discover more of what people love before, during, and after their visit to the Garden. Multi-media content includes maps and information on Mounts Botanical’s 25 display gardens, art in the garden, and current and upcoming exhibitions, as well as an ever-growing spectrum of new photo, audio, and video content available exclusively via the app. To learn more and download the app, visit www.mounts.org/mobile-garden-guide/ [mounts.org]. ​