For millennia, humans and flowers have enjoyed a rich and intertwined history spanning time and cultures. Fossilized flowers have been found at early human burial sites and flora is used in medicines and remedies. Flowers have also evolved into symbols of love, purity, and rebirth, alongside their enduring role as objects of beauty and ornamentation. Flora Symbolica: The Art of Flowers explores the meanings and messages of flowers in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries, highlighting the timeless connections among art, nature, and human experience.

The exhibition features the work of celebrated photographer and artist Edward Steichen, whose life-long infatuation with flowers deeply affected his artistic vision. Steichen often infused his portraits of women with botanical symbolism to dramatize the personalities of his sitters. Building on Steichen’s exploration of flowers as powerful personal and social emblems, this exhibition traces the many ways that flora is rooted in American art and culture.

Generous support for this exhibition is provided by Art Bridges.

This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum, Jessica Orzulak, PhD, associate curator and curatorial affairs manager, and Robin Klaus, PhD, assistant curator.

Location: Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall