For 41 years, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) has celebrated spring with its four-day event, “Art in Bloom,” drawing together florists from across the state to create unique floral displays for the museum’s collection.
Created by more than 100 florists, visitors can participate in the events and walk through Mia’s permanent collection of artwork to see individual floral designs of some of its most iconic pieces.
Floral artist Sue Bagge has participated in the event since its very first year. This year she created a piece inspired by Zhang Xiang, “Peach Blossom Spring,” an ink illustration depicting the poet’s life on the mountain.
“The people up there lived an idyllic life because they’re not mixing cities or different things like that,” Bagge said. “And to celebrate spring, I’m using the pink and greens to add more color.”
Her display reflected the flow of the mountain, each flower representing a different moment within the original poem that inspired the painting. The flowers in the display were grown in her garden and her garage, and are displayed in a vase made by her son.
“I think we need beauty, creativity and community, and we all know our community really enjoys Art in Bloom,” Bagge said.
The event also includes the work of commercial floral artists, each interpreting this year’s signature artwork, “Las Vendedoras de Flores,” by Alfredo Ramos Martínez. The theme was chosen in collaboration with the Friends of the Institute and the Art in Bloom boards.
“I think people who have never been here, they’re just blown away,” event organizer Diane Morrison said. “They come in expecting to see maybe a couple bouquets of flowers, you know, and they don’t understand the vastness of this. There are flowers in almost every gallery throughout the museum.”
Another florist, Kathryn Andrews Malody, has been participating in the event for 34 years alongside her mother and now, her daughter.
“My mom started doing floral designs for Art in Bloom at the very first one. And for a while there she was actually in charge,” Malody said. “It’s kind of a family gig. It’s very dear to me. My mom taught me, I taught my daughters. Even my sister-in-law has done it.”
Malody worked to interpret “Manchu Women’s Unofficial Informal Vest,” an ornate Chinese silk vest with intricate designs of cicada insects on the fabric.
“It’s just a wonderful thing to work with the art and how it resonates with us,” Malody said. “I love sharing my joy for doing art, and it’s a family connection that spans generations for me.”
Another mother-daughter pair, Barbarajo Kuzelka and Kate Sobraske, created a display interpreting “Wedding chest (cassone),” an Italian Renaissance design depicting the Cardinal four virtues and a wedding. The pair have participated for a total of eight years.
“So the first year, I did trick her into signing up,” Sobraske said. “And the next year she said, ‘Well, then you have to do it with me.’”
Sobraske said the event changed the way she looks at art, making her stay with pieces longer and look for hidden meanings. The wedding chest moved her because at the time it was built, it would have belonged to a young girl and been gifted to her as a part of her dowry or wedding party.
“I think it really allows for a lot of imagination, you can imagine who this person was, but then there’s a lot of empathy,” Sobraske said.
One of the youngest participants, 19-year-old Heaven Iman, said she chose to participate for the first time last year after years of coming to the event as a visitor. This year, her floral display interprets a Korean “Moon jar.”
“It’s really a bunch of different emotions,” Iman said. “I’m born and raised here and being a part of a community to showcase in the city just means a lot to me. It really does.”
The event continues until April 27, with the 150 displays available to the public throughout the weekend as well as floral-based community events for families and visitors.
“How can you be unhappy or angry when you’re in a museum with gorgeous art and beautiful flowers?” Morrison said.