Anders Ruhwald Plant Works

Morán Morán is pleased to present Plant Works, the gallery’s third exhibition of works by Danish-American artist Anders Herwald Ruhwald. The exhibition consists of eight large ceramic sculptures made in Ruhwald’s studio in Chicago over the past 18 months. Each sculpture features cavities that hold arrangements of flora such as orchids, scrubs, flowers, and succulents, developed in collaboration with artist and designer Darren Romanelli who presents a selection of arrangements developed alongside his longtime collaborator Toyo Florist – the Japanese florist that originated in 1950 and continues passing on its family traditions through three generations of artisans.

The use of plants in the works allows each sculpture to grow and change in response to its surroundings, shifting with the changing seasons, local climates, and levels of caretaking. This conditioning of the works to their environment challenges the distinctions of sculpture and viewer, artist and environment, replacing them in favor of sensitive relationships of reciprocity. 

Ruhwald and Romanelli’s choice to include floor fans emphasizes the idea that sculpture is not a fixed form, but rather something that is fluid and conditional. The fans create a shared atmosphere between the living components of the artwork and the audience, reinforcing their connection. By incorporating both live and dried plants, they evoke the full cycle of growth and decay, which parallels the constantly shifting shapes of the ceramic holders.

At the heart of Plant Works is a series of sculptures subtitled Petitot’s Dream. The title refers to 18th-century French architect Ennemond Alexandre Petitot’s etching series, Suite des Vases of vessels supported precariously by human figures, animals, and plants. The sculptures of Petitot’s Dream marry these forms amorphously, bringing together these bodies into abstract forms. This combination references a delicate balance in Petitot’s etchings and suggests the interdependence of each living element within a fragile, ever-changing ecosystem.

Anders Ruhwald (b. 1974) lives and works in Chicago, IL and Copenhagen, Denmark. He graduated from the Royal College of Art in London (2005). Ruhwald is the recipient of numerous residences and awards including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Fellowship (2024) He has had over 35 solo exhibitions at institutions and galleries internationally which include Indianapolis Museum of Art, IN, (2020); Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, United Kingdom, (2009); Cranbrook Art Musem, Bloomfield Hills, MI, (2013); Casa Museo Asger Jorn, Albissola Marina, Italy, (2018); and Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Ohio, (2016). He has been shown in more than 120 group shows at venues like Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, (2009); Fondation d’entreprise Richard, Paris, France, (2011); Denver Art Museum, CO, (2011); Taipei Yingge Museum, Taiwan (2003); and Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark (2005). Ruhwald’s work is in 30 public collections including Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom; The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, France; and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN. In 2022, Ruhwald created a series of 10 sculptures for Bottega Veneta, which debuted on the island of Capri, Italy, and are now displayed at Bottega’s flagship stores and offices across four continents. This fall Ruhwald’s work will feature prominently in Scandinavia as The National Museum in Oslo will restage his monumental installation You in Between (2008) and the Bornholm Art Museum will mount a solo-exhibition of recent works from the past 5 years.

Darren Romanelli (b. 1976) has over 20 years of experience in curation and creative direction. Inspired by his dedication to sustainability and upcycling, Romanelli’s numerous collaborations have straddled the design, art, horticulture, food and fashion disciplines.