Flowers in Chinese Art

Flowers in China are revered and play a major role in Chinese life. A floral motif in Chinese art is not only a colorful and pleasing design, but also a medium by which a mood, a season, a sentiment, or a desire is conveyed. Symbolic meaning trumps realism as nature yields to artists’ desire to communicate a particular message through long-understood symbolism and allegory. Rich in color, fragrance, and symbolism, flowers became part not only Chinese visual art but also myths, folklore, and popular verse and prose. Flowers in Chinese art symbolize everything from celebration days, every month and season, stoic and virtuous characteristics and morals, and even death. This exhibition features Chinese paintings and ceramics from the collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and on loan from the collection of Joy and Timothy Light.