Beach Museum of Art exhibition features floral images to celebrate 150 years of K-State Gardens

The Beach Museum of Art at Kansas State University is featuring floral imagery in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the K-State Gardens with the "In Bloom" exhibition. | Download this photo.

By K‑State News and Communications Services

 

Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025

 

MANHATTAN — A new exhibition at Kansas State University's Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art commemorates the 150th anniversary of the K-State Gardens by showcasing floral imagery from the museum's collection.

The exhibition, "In Bloom," is part of the museum's annual initiative to host an exhibition in collaboration with the Manhattan Public Library's summer reading program and the themes set by the American Library Association for summer reading. This year's theme is "Color Our World."

"We are thrilled to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the K-State Gardens by celebrating the connection between art and nature," said Director Kent Michael Smith. "Featuring works from the Beach Museum's collection, the exhibition brings the flower into focus."

Highlights of the exhibit include Dale Chihuly's "Imperial Iris Persian Pair," a gift from Ross and Marianna Beach, as well as George Braque's Cubist piece, "Les Marguerites."

Contemporary artists such as Renée Stout, Karsten Creightney and Kate Nessler are also featured. Nessler's "Lady Slipper Orchid" received a gold medal from the Royal Horticultural Society. An exquisite quilt from the university's Historic Textile and Costume Museum adds a rich layer of history and collaboration to the presentation.

Lydia Victoriano Asenata, "Full Many a Flower...," 1970, color aquatint on paper, 10 3/4 x 15 5/8 in., Kansas State University, Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, 2017.11. | Download this photo.

Several Midwestern artists in the exhibit are John F. Helm, Jr., Avis Chitwood, Birger Sandzén and Grant Wood. Wood's "Tame Flowers," included in the exhibit, was hand-colored by his sister, Nan Wood.

Elementary school tours of "In Bloom" will focus on botany and scientific drawing. The exhibition will also serve as inspiration for the museum's summer ARTSmart programs, which will include visits to the Meadow north of the museum. Participants will engage in discussions about pollinators' importance and engage in various colorful art projects.

The exhibition is co-curated by Kathrine Schlageck, associate curator of education, and Gabriella Randall, an undergraduate student in art history.

"We wanted to create a space that would resemble that of a garden," said Randall. "We picked a variety of pieces with a wide range of artist backgrounds and styles to showcase both the diversity of nature and the diversity of art."

The opportunity to co-curate the exhibition came as part of a museum certificate program in the sociology, anthropology, and social work department at K-State.

"I have dreams of working in the museum world, and this experience has taught me about what that would be like," said Randall. "This exhibit is deeply close to my heart. As my first ever curating experience, I could not have asked for a better one. Kathrine always supported my ideas and let me take the reins. She always said it was my exhibit just as much as it was hers."

One related event includes "Let's Talk Flowers" with artist Karsten Creightney. The event is part of the "Let's Talk Art" livestream conversation series hosted by the museum. Creightney will depict what he calls "partly lived, partly imagined" places and give special attention to the flower as a signifier of locale and emotion. The event is free and open to the public at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. Registration for the event can be done online.

"In Bloom" is at the Beach Museum of Art from Feb. 25 through Aug. 30, 2025. The exhibition is sponsored by the Friends of the Beach Museum of Art, the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation's Lincoln and Dorothy I. Deihl Community Grants Program, Dan and Beth Bird, and Radio Kansas.

The Beach Museum of Art is on the southeast corner of the K-State campus at 701 Beach Lane. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Admission to the museum is free, and free parking is available adjacent to the building. To catch a livestream event or view exhibitions online, visit the museum's website, or watch videos of the museum's special programs and events on its YouTube channel. For a calendar of programs and events, visit the museum's calendar.

 

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