Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota is known for turning its stunning gardens into impressive art galleries. Earlier this year they had Salvador Dalí-themed plant displays and in 2018 they blended art with nature with Warhol: Flowers in the Factory. Now, they're getting ready to launch their latest vision that blends two art worlds: the pop art aesthetic of Roy Lichtenstein to beloved images from impressionist Monet's garden.
Roy Lichtenstein: Monet's Garden Goes Pop! will transform Selby's 15-acre bayfront gardens into Monet's garden at Giverny through the eyes of Lichtenstein. Expect large-scale installations of water lilies, haystacks, and the famous Japanese bridge in a pop art form. For example, the bridge will span the koi pond but look like Lichtenstein painted it. And Monet's home will come to life with a mix of 2D and 3D elements.
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"We're basically saying that if Lichtenstein had created Monet's garden, this might be what he would have dreamed up," Jennifer Rominiecki, president and CEO of Selby Gardens, told Departures in a statement. "Our horticultural team is taking the principles that Lichtenstein applied to his artwork and applying those to our interpretation of Monet's garden at Giverny. This innovative, immersive interpretation has never been done before."
Like Andy Warhol, Lichtenstein was known for taking cultural icons like Mickey Mouse and American advertisements and spinning them into pop art masterpieces. But, he was also interested in landscapes and Impressionism. Beginning in the 1960s, he reimagined Monet's works, and now that's serving as the inspiration for Selby's installation.
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Some of these original works, like Lichtenstein's Water Lilies with Reflections series, and archival photographs, will also be on view. Selby Gardens will also host Lichtenstein- and Monet-themed programs throughout the exhibition, which runs from February 13 to June 27, 2021.
Rominiecki added, "It will be like stepping into Lichtenstein's world—if he had created a world based on Monet."
