Events Events are included with the cost of admission and registration is not required unless otherwise noted.
Yinka Shonibare CBE: Planets in My Head Lecture Series
Flower Shows Iris Show Saturday, June 4, 1–5 pm Sunday, June 5, 11 am–5 pm Presented by the Grand Valley Iris Society Enjoy a variety of tall bearded and Siberian iris blossoms on display, all locally grown for this judged show. View floral designs featuring iris flowers. Grand Valley Iris Society members will be on hand all weekend to discuss and answer your questions about these beloved flowers.
Daylily Show Saturday, July 23, 10 am–5 pm Presented by the Grand Valley Daylily Society Daylily flowers last for just one day—and so does this show. See an amazing variety of daylily flowers that vary in size from less than 1 inch across to almost 10 inches. Learn more about this favorite perennial from local experts at the Grand Valley Daylily Society.
Hosta Show Saturday, July 23, 10 am–5 pm Sunday, July 24, 11 am–5 pm Presented by the West Michigan Hosta Society
Fashion in Contemporary Art Saturday, June 18, 11 am–12 pm Suzanne Eberle, PhD, Professor Emerita, Kendall College of Art and Design Like Yinka Shonibare, many contemporary artists use clothing as a part of their aesthetic practice. Join us as we explore how and why textiles and fashion, particularly 18th- and 19th-century garments, play an influential and often metaphorical role in contemporary art.
Abundance and Scarcity: Yinka Shonibare and Food Justice Saturday, July 16, 11 am–12 pm Jochen Wierich, PhD, Associate Professor of Art History at Aquinas College Inspired by the history of agriculture in West Michigan, especially fruit growing, Yinka Shonibare created a new sculpture for his exhibition at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. In this talk, we will explore his and other contemporary artists’ work that engages with food distribution and justice.
Complex Embodiment: Yinka Shonibare and Disability Saturday, September 3, 11 am–12 pm Jessica Cooley, PhD, Guest Curator, Ford Foundation Gallery Hibiscus and the Rose, 2020. © Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. Woodcut print. Courtesy of the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London. Mark Blower. 8
Yinka Shonibare and the Pan-African Imagination Saturday, October 1, 11 am–12 pm Antawan Byrd, PhD candidate in the art history department at Northwestern University, Weinberg Fellow, Associate Curator of Photography and Media at the Art Institute of Chicago
Join us for a hosta leaf show and be amazed by the range of shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, and textures available in hosta foliage. Specimen leaves will be displayed in vases and West Michigan Hosta Society members will be on hand all weekend to answer question and discuss why hostas are “America’s #1 Perennial.”
Dahlia Show Saturday, August 27, 12–5 pm Sunday, August 28, 11 am–4:30 pm Presented by the West Michigan Dahlia Society Become inspired as you stroll through a room filled with stunning blooms and a rainbow of color. Be amazed by flowers the size of dinner plates and discover the huge variety of flower forms available. View lovely floral arrangements and chat with Dahlia Society members to learn more about growing this beautiful flower.
