Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature
Richard H. Driehaus Museum, Chicago, IL
The exhibition presents lush botanical paintings by McEwen alongside works by the 17th and 18th century painters whom he studied—as well as early illuminated manuscripts and folio volumes drawn from the Mellon Collection, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. A key challenge of the exhibition design was to orchestrate the finely detailed artworks amidst the ornate interiors of the museum.
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“On top of his own mastery of botanical art, the setting of the Driehaus Museum is pitch-perfect for the show. These pieces are hung throughout the rich wallpaper and furniture of the house. At times, the botanical wallpaper matches the pieces hung on the walls, to the surprise of the museum staff who had not intentionally paired the two.”
—Elisa Shoenberger, New City Art
Photographs by Bob.