21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Artwork Data

About the Artwork

Green Bridge is created so as to bridge over a glass corridor. Plants of many varieties are arranged in a superb aesthetic balance, pleasing to see in all four seasons. In summer, there are Japanese snowflowers and irises; in spring, plaintain lilies and hydrangea; in autumn, flowered branches of Japanese bush clover; and in winter, Japanese silverleaf blossoms. Planted on both sides of a wall just 14cm thick are some 100 plant varieties suited to Kanazawa’s climate. The wall’s north and south sides receive different amounts of sunlight each day, so plants suitable to the growing conditions on each side have been selected, thus giving the work a different appearance on each side. Botanist Patrick Blanc’s theory that plants can grow even under limited conditions has found expression in a work of art.

About the Artist

Patrick BLANC

Born in Paris, France in 1953. Lives there. As teenager, Patrick Blanc became interested in environmental conditions for growing plants and struck on the idea of “vertical gardens.” He has since continually studied plants and refined his methods, while undertaking “vertical gardens” in varying environments the world over. Green Bridge gives play to Blanc’s research as a botanist and capability to devise methods for symbiosis over long periods.