The True Spirit of New York City Takes Over This Year’s Orchid Show
Queens-native Mr. Flower Fantastic brings street style to the institution's Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
When people think of New York City, most often the city’s iconic skyscrapers and bustling streets come to mind. While the term “concrete jungle” is a fair title to bestow on the popular destination, hidden gems of flora and nature can be found throughout the numerous boroughs, such as the Bronx’s iconic New York Botanical Garden (NYBG).
Every year, the famed institution hosts the highly anticipated Orchid Show, where one artist, designer, creative, and more craft mesmerizing flora installations throughout the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. This year, anonymous artist Mr. Flower Fantastic brought his personal connection as a Queens-native to the showcase, where larger-than-life iconography of New York City’s most notable businesses stands as a true tribute to his home city.
Inspiration for the exhibition came from the artist’s personal connection to New York City itself. Through the numerous presentations of subway stations, laundromats, brownstones, park benches, and more, this showcase not only serves as a personal ode to his ties to the city but also as a look into his connection with floral artistry, specifically spending his childhood days gardening with his mother and taking school trips to the NYBG.
“The laundromat represents community and transformation,” Mr. Flower Fantastic tells Galerie. “The car wash was my first immersive experience as a child and taught me how environments can change perception. Fire escapes were often my only outdoor space growing up, a place for a plant or a moment of green. These places may seem ordinary, but they hold stories, energy, and shared experiences. Together, they create a mosaic that feels nostalgic, alive, and unmistakably New York.”
The feel of classic New York is felt throughout the exhibition, which begins with guests admiring a towering brownstone structure adorned in purple orchids. From there, guests are transported to the “Orchid Avenue” subway station, which holds the artist’s emblem alongside a floral installation bursting with beauty and energy.
Other highlights include installations of newsstands, park benches, street signage, but one of the true stars of the show is the laundromat, which not only serves as an impressive installation but an orchid terrarium in which allows the flowers to be viewed up close.
“I hope that people will come away with a greater appreciation for New York City as a generative source for creativity, inspiration, and also as the site where new ideas are able to germinate and blossom,” Joanna Groarke, Vice President for Exhibitions and Programming, tells Galerie. “Mr. Flower Fantastic has brought the City alive with profusions of orchids, and in doing so, he is highlighting the everyday sites—the bus stops, the fire escapes—we all experience on a daily basis, which can become unexpected backdrops for everyone’s imagination.”
Explore “The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle”
“The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle” is on view through April 26 at the New York Botanical Garden.