chrysanthemum

Heirloom chrysanthemums were brought to the Americas in the 1700s, though their cultural history dates back to China as early as the 5th century BCE. By the 8th century, chrysanthemums had become deeply embedded in Japanese society, celebrated across art, ritual, and daily life. Small-scale Japanese growers, dedicated to preserving the purity of heirloom varieties, developed cultivation practices distinct from industrial producers who focused on hybridization. From these traditions emerged formal chrysanthemum exhibitions, known as kiku ningyō and ōzukuri, which continue today. In these exhibitions, the plant is elevated beyond ornament; through careful training and manipulation by hand, chrysanthemums are shaped into living sculptures. I embrace this sentiment through my exploration of various varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium, rendered in copper, brass, and silver.