Radical Blooms: The Unexpected Power of Flowers

Coming Soon |  Great Hall, Low Bay

Viernes, Marzo 12—Domingo, Agosto 9, 2027

Radical Blooms: The Unexpected Power of Flowers draws on the Oakland Museum of California’s (OMCA) interdisciplinary collection to highlight the power of flowers as a means of expression, resistance, healing, and connection in California. Wielded as symbols across artworks and in visual culture, California’s diversity of flowers has come to represent the political, social, and environmental moments that have transformed the state. The artworks, clothing, posters, furniture, and photographs on view emphasize how flowers have empowered Californians—from artists to activists to ecologists—to visualize the state’s creative and radical spirit across generations.

With its iconic landscapes and strikingly vivid blooms, California has always been powerfully linked to flowers. But here, exhibition visitors will be surprised by how they have been interpreted and used beyond their beauty. They showcase the endurance and strength of California in the face of cycles of extreme drought and devastating fires. They represent ecological and cultural exchange through local agricultural development, religious and cultural rituals, and protest movements. Their ephemerality reminds us to seek joy and connection in the lives we lead and the everchanging world around us. From wild arroyo lupines and radiant golden poppies to imported chrysanthemums, flowers signify an enduring sense of hope and promise that is foundational to California’s collective imagination and artistic cultures.  

This exhibition is part of Further Triennial, a major initiative that brings together visual arts organizations across Northern California’s to premier exhibitions and programs that celebrate the creative life of the region.

¿Quiere verlo gratis? Los socios tienen acceso ilimitado a exposiciones y galerías especiales. Más información sobre la afiliación.

Patrocinadores

Major support for Radical Blooms: The Unexpected Power of Flowers is provided by The Oakland Museum Women’s Board.

BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration is an exhibit planned and realized by Masaki Fujihata and the Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities at UCLA and Waseda University, in collaboration with the Oakland Museum of California. BeHere / 1942 was first exhibited at the Japanese American National Museum, where it was co-presented by the museum and the Yanai Initiative.

*Header image: Beth Van Hoesen and David Kelso, California Poppies, 1995. Aquatint etching, drypoint, and watercolor on paper. Collection of the Oakland Museum of California. Gift of the E. Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen Adams Trust in honor of Phil Linhares. Photo by M. Lee Fatherree, courtesy of Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco. © E. Mark Adams and Beth Van Hoesen Adams Trust.