LanternAsia is a breathtaking outdoor exhibition with more than 40 monumental illuminated works of art spread out over a mile long circular path at the Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, VA. The exhibit continues through Sunday, May 13, 2018.
When LanternAsia debuted at Norfolk Botanical Garden (NBG) in 2016, it attracted over 100,000 visitors, more than a third of whom were from out of town. One of the favorites, a 200-ft Chinese dragon lantern weighing 18,000 pounds will be making its second appearance in the current show.
LanternAsia: The monumental dragon is about 5 school busses long!
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
The White Pagoda is also making an encore. Standing four stories high, the pagoda is constructed of 1 million china plates, tea cups, spoons, and forks.
LanternAsia: the White Pagoda (detail of teacups, saucers, spoons and forks.
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
In addition to these favorites from the previous exhibit, the current LanternAsia display features more than 35 brand new works.
NBG Marketing & Communications Director, Kelly Welsh, noted that after the crates arrived in January, about 30 artisans worked on building and installing these massive illuminated sculptures. The works are crafted from silk, steel, glass, and other materials.
Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., based in Zigong, China, brings this extraordinary event to Norfolk. Several of their similar exhibitions are currently on display in Chicago, Salt Lake City and Knoxville, and upcoming in Philadelphia and New York. (Details at the end of this article.)
The exhibition is an inspiring modern twist on the Chinese tradition of lantern festivals, which dates back more than 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty. A walk through the exhibit--or even the journey though these photos--can have a calming effect and enhance wellbeing, as recent scientific studies have shown regarding the effects of art.
Florence Nightingale noted, "Little as we know about the way in which we are affected by form, by color, and light, we do know this, that they have an actual physical effect. Variety of form and brilliancy of color in the objects presented to patients, are actual means of recovery."
A Photo Album of LanternAsia:
LanternAsia: Live performers including Chinese jugglers, acrobatic contortionists, and plate spinners add to the magic as darkness descends
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
LanternAsia: All ages are fascinated by the illuminated sculptures
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
LanternAsia: rotating opera lanterns lined the walkway up to the Fairy Dancing with Phoenixes
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
LanternAsia: Mythological Kylin are made of small glass bottles filled with colored water
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
LanternAsia: Detail of of small glass bottles filled with colored water
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
LanternAsia: Animated Venus Fly Traps, indigenous to the area, were made especially for this exhibit. The plants' trigger hairs are used in capturing a meal, which may take up to 12 days to digest.
(Image by Meryl ann Butler) Details DMCA
Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc., based in Zigong, China, brings this extraordinary event and others like it to locations around the globe.
Current and upcoming shows include:
March 30, 2018 - May 6, 2018
Soldier Field, 410 S. Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Dragon Lights Salt Lake City
March 21, 2018 - May 6, 2018
Utah State Fairpark, 55 1000 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84116
March 16, 2018 - April 22, 2018
Chilhowee Park & Exhibition Center 3301 E. Magnolia Ave. Knoxville, TN, 37914
Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival
May 1, 2018 - June 30, 2018
Franklin Square 6th and Race Streets Philadelphia, PA 19106
New York State Chinese Lantern Festival
May 25, 2018 - July 1, 2018
New York State Fairgrounds 581 State Fair Blvd. Syracuse, NY 13209
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