HYDE PARK ART CENTER | March 2 – June 2, 2024
Aimée Beaubien, the internationally exhibited artist who has established herself as an educator and peer in the Chicago art community, showcases her innovative techniques in Through the Hothouse. The installation transforms a 92-foot-long hallway into a green corridor by integrating elements such as plant matter, weaving, photographs, and 3D drawings. These elements symbolize the intricate interplay between ecological, social, and cultural dimensions within the vibrant creative community of the Art Center.
Since 2015, Beaubien has been creating a series of site-specific installations loosely centered on the concept of a hothouse—a deliberately hybrid environment designed to nurture rapid development. Expanding on the series, this exhibition will amaze audiences with Beaubien’s debut innovative technique of drawing on recently cut plant material (like tulips, sunflowers, and branches) with a 3D pen using PLA bioplastic filament. The result is a floating landscape of voluminous, brightly colored sculptures that preserve nature in an uncanny manner. The installation will immerse viewers in a rare garden of strange and enticing forms that remind us of the wonder typically only found outdoors.
“Photographs and plants are intricately interwoven throughout the fabric of my work. I map connections between contemporary life and the fragmented state of nature. In a world where nature is being increasingly depleted, I utilize the photographic medium’s capacity for infinite reproduction to envision a boundless propagation of plant life.” – Aimée Beaubien
Beaubien’s work challenges common assumptions about landscape and raises important questions about preservation, conservation, and care for green space within the built environment.
