GROW

Thousands of years ago our ancestors began growing things intentionally for food and cultivated natural resources to provide what was needed and desired. Over time, these planned horticultural spaces diversified into gardens, becoming showplaces of wealth and power, settings for political negotiation, areas for recreation and respite, and sources of inspiration for spiritual and artistic growth.

While our lives no longer depend on the success of our own crops, many find tending a garden deeply rewarding, and even healing. Wartime victory gardens and those created during the pandemic show us that planting continues to be a beneficial survival response to stress and scarcity, providing both sanctuary and sustenance.

The tangible practice of growing food, flowers, and plants grounds us, draws our attention to our senses and brings us fully into the moment as our hands work the soil. This experience ties us to the changing seasons, the passage of time, and the realities of our climate. As we engage with the rhythms of nature and recognize the fragility of our planet, gardening also prompts us to contemplate broader human experiences and the ways that our gardens reflect our social structures. Issues of accessibility and equity are significant concerns when it comes to the land and growing practices. However, one does not need to own a plot of land to be a gardener. Even a collection of plants on a windowsill can form a garden, offering us joy, connection and a bit of paradise, perhaps even our own Eden as we create a sense of place and home.

The GROW exhibition at Palo Alto Art Center presents twenty-two artists working across a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, installation and film. Together the works explore the gardens and green spaces that we share; the gardens from our memories, imagination and history; and the gardens that grow us towards a better future. Individually, works introduce sub-themes that consider climate, equity and sustainability, as well as our connections with the natural world and each other, our well-being and pleasure.