The New York Botanical Garden is set to transport visitors into a whimsical wonderland with their upcoming exhibition inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic books, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There.” The exhibition, titled “Wonderland: Curious Nature,” will feature larger-than-life sculptures, interactive installations, and a diverse array of plants that will captivate visitors of all ages.
One of the main attractions of the exhibition is a 12-foot-tall White Rabbit, created by the Canadian company Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal. This fantastical creature, adorned with a pocket watch and fur made of Sedum foliage, will greet visitors at the festive May 18 opening of the exhibition.
Guest curator Jennifer R. Gross promises visitors their own adventure as they explore the indoor and outdoor spaces of the garden. From Yoko Ono’s interactive chess set to Alyson Shotz’s shimmering sculpture, the exhibition offers a blend of fantasy and reality that aims to pleasantly unsettle and inspire curiosity.
The exhibition will also feature a giant rabbit hole constructed from tree stumps and vines, leading visitors from a section of plants inspired by Lewis Carroll’s world to a wild Wonderland Garden. The garden’s director of glasshouse horticulture, Marc Hachadourian, highlights the exhibition’s focus on plant diversity and evolution, with unique specimens like spotted begonias and carnivorous plants on display.
Visitors can expect to encounter a variety of oddities, including a corpse flower and a geranium variety that smells like lemons. The exhibition aims to educate visitors about plant evolution while immersing them in the whimsical world of Lewis Carroll’s imagination.
With hundreds of plants, interactive installations, and contemporary artworks on display, “Wonderland: Curious Nature” invites visitors to slow down, observe, and wonder about the world around them. The exhibition promises to be a magical experience for all who enter the New York Botanical Garden’s enchanting world of wonderland.
