Projects – Cincinnati Park Board – Butterflies of China 2008 at Krohn Conservatory

Butterflies of China at Krohn Conservatory (2008)

Jan co-designed this show with Stacie Martin, horticulture, and show designers in LongTan Park, Liuzhou, China. The set elements were fabricated in China by Longtan Park staff, crated and shipped to Cincinnati where we presented them with innovative style – costumes in a giant mobile, and kites as architectural decoration. The audience wrote poems and prayers on red ribbons which were tied into the Buddha Pine throughout the show. These ribbons were woven into a tapestry that we presented back to LongTan Park friends.

  • Huge Butterfly Kites created in Liuzhou per our sketches of the façade treatment.

  • Our Giant Mobile organization of Chinese minority costume elements created in Liuzhou

  • Detail of our Giant Mobile organization of Chinese minority costume elements created in Liuzhou

  • Chinese painted fan and sculptural artifacts from Cincinnati collections ornament our Bonsai collection

  • Corner display of Chinese spirituality

  • Southern end of the Galley with bamboo and graphic arts display

  • Tea display, with tea house photo backdrop

  • scholar stones in planting beds with Guilin landscape photos as backdrop, including cormorant fisherman and lotus pond

  • LongTan Ribbon Tapestry. Our design partners from LongTan Park in Liuzhou, China, travelled to Cincinnati to open the Butterfly Show and see how their American partners interpreted their set pieces. Here they participate in the red prayer ribbon interactive we observed in their park.

  • Once visitors write their wishes and prayers on the red ribbons provided, Krohn staff attached the ribbons to the Buddha Pine in the Main Showroom.

  • At the close of the show, Jan collected all of the red ribbons from the showroom, pressed and wove them into a tapestry that Parks staff gave to our Chinese partners during our 2008 trip to LongTan Park to dedicate the Cincinnati/Liuzhou Friendship Garden. This is the face of the tapestry.

  • At the close of the show, Jan collected all of the red ribbons from the showroom, pressed and wove them into a tapestry that Parks staff gave to our Chinese partners during our 2008 trip to LongTan Park to dedicate the Cincinnati/Liuzhou Friendship Garden. This is the backside of the tapestry.