WISH Unlimited
Wilmington, DE
"hereafter."
Committee Gleanings:
For this exhibit, Chris Kanienberger, the designer, collaborated with Mark Harding, the horticulturalist, who selected the plant material to carry out his vision. Chris has exhibited many times in Philadelphia Flower Shows, and his exhibits are always edgy, unique, and challenging. His exhibit for Jack the Ripper, in 2013*, found unexpected beauty in the darkness and decay of London’s slums, winning the best in show that year.
The designer's exhibits, though carefully planned, have the spontaneous feeling of art installations and this year is no exception. He describes his exhibit as a film set for “Castaway meets Mad Max”. A boat is the main character. A boat wrecked perhaps by one of the terrible hurricanes we have endured this year in a tropical setting. One boat has now morphed into a couple of large boats—which will be brought to the site on trailers that will be back filled so that you do not see them. Dealing with the weight of real boats is presenting a big challenge here, especially in the limited space.
Tropical plants will be used—there will be clusters of Sanseveria 'Starfish', bromeliads, and Sanseveria 'Fernwood.' The focus is on the unexpected beauty that can result from the environmental changes to our planet. This exhibit will also illustrate how “Beautiful and strange plant forms can grow out of a shallow grave or on the side of a rotting boat”.
*[Laura thinks he means his work for Schaffer Designs' Jack the Ripper exhibit, J A C K,]
Exhibitor Description:
Christian Kanienberg of WISH, collaborates with Mark Harding of Flower Haus in Shepherdstown WV, to present hereafter.
Water is almost always a source of calm and a natural resource, which all living things need to survive. In contrast, within our changing ecosystem natural disasters are affecting all forms of life in front of our very eyes. Just last year, the hurricanes and wildfires strained access to resources that we all take for granted, and indicate strongly that our planet is changing rapidly.
hereafter. focuses on the unexpected beauty which can grow out of environmental crises. Beautiful and strange plant forms can grow out of a shallow grave or on the side of a rotting boat.
"Rust may never sleep, but then again, neither does moss" - B Awehalib