One of the repetitive complains I hear from non-Phoenix natives is, “This town has no culture.” Stucco, suburbs and beige, are a culture — just not one most people want to replicate. The truth is, Phoenix has a growing, fascinating array of cultural exhibits. They simply take getting off the couch to see them. {My friend Amanda regularly emails a weekend update of great events that Mini posts on her blog.}
Dale Chihuly, one of my favorite artists, is currently showing at the Desert Botanical Gardens. I spent several hours today with Dee, wandering the winding paths at the base of the Papago Mountains, admiring these glass beauties. The art seems to be planted with the plants, creating a very trippy garden experience.
The garden is a dashing work of art — cacti from all over the world have been gathered on display, along with many other desert plants. The waiting list for weddings and parties at the garden pushes two years. It’s a gem of the Valley.
This exhibit is powerful. It is hard to tell if he specifically designed these pieces for the garden, or if they are a general outdoor traveling exhibit. It seems a bit like Dr. Seuss came through with a magic wand (and cat in a top hat). Chihuly’s work made me dizzy. The colors, variety of texture, detail in pieces and incredible shape and size are spectacular.
If this isn’t culture, I’m not sure what is.
~K