Garfield Park Conservatory

Posted by Steven (Chicagoland, United States) on 19 March 2008 in Art & Design and Portfolio.

Life-size mosaic at the Chicago Garfield Park Conservatory. Photo taken May 6, 2007.

French-born, New York-raised Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002), a passionately imaginative and self-taught artist, gained international fame in the 1960s as a New Realist artist. In 2000, de Saint Phalle was awarded the acclaimed 12th Premium Imperial Prize in sculpture.

Extremely prolific, the hallmarks of her stunning diverse repertoire are her Nanas, powerful, often dancing, women celebrating life. These large-scale, outrageous and colorful sculptures have appeared in museums, advertisements and worldwide exhibitions.

One of the world's largest gardens under glass, the Garfield Park Conservatory opened in 1908. It was among the first conservatories to display plants in natural-looking landscaped settings instead of pots.

The vision of celebrated landscape architect Jens Jensen, the Conservatory was modeled after large, domed haystacks dotting the Midwest. Today, Garfield Park Conservatory is a premier Chicago cultural institution. Garfield Park Conservatory is owneded and managed by the Chicago Park District.