Flora and Fauna, MAD about Nature

From insects and birds to flowers and trees, and don't forget, aquatic life, Flora and Fauna, MAD about Nature takes an engaged look at how artists celebrate nature in a variety of media, including ceramic, glass, fiber, metal, and wood. "The breadth of the subject matter and the diversity of the wildly imaginative depictions reveal that Mother Nature remains a fecund source of inspiration for many gifted artists," stated Elizabeth Edwards Kirrane, the assistant curator of the show.

As the name suggests, the exhibition of 126 artworks, drawn from MAD’s collection along with promised gifts and loans, was presented in two parts: "Flora" and "Fauna."

The "Fauna" section featured artful depictions of creatures great and small. Notable among them are Paul Villinski's "Passage (Study)" and Steffan Dam's "Marine Group." Among the other artists represented in the section were Pedro Friedeberg, Sherry Markovitz, Preston Singletary, Lino Tagliapietra, and Jennifer Trask.

The "Flora" section featured artworks inspired by plants, flowers, and landscapes. One of the most striking and whimsical pieces was Beth Katleman's "Folly." Also noteworthy was the Japanese designer Hiroki Takada's "Orchid Lamp." Other artists represented in this section included Jack Lenor Larson, Ted Muehling, Shen Shaomin, Paul Stankard, and Tapio Wirkkala.