Dale Chihuly sculpture makes Atlanta Botanical Garden its forever home

STORY: Claire Ruhlin

Known for his shapely, large-scale glass installations, renowned artist Dale Chihuly debuted his work at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in 2004, after which his Parterre Fountain Installation became a permanent fixture at the Levy Parterre Fountain. A series of his drawings also hang in the garden’s Longleaf restaurant, and his Nepenthes Chandelier remains a fixture of the Hardin Visitor Center.

Chihuly’s works returned to the garden again in 2016 during the popular “Chihuly in the Garden” exhibition, after which the artist’s 30-foot-tall, 3,660-watt Saffron Tower sculpture remained onsite on loan from the artist. The Atlanta Botanical Garden recently officially acquired the yellow neon piece, which now permanently resides in the Glade Garden. Visitors can also enjoy views of the piece, which is composed of more than a half-mile of glass and 312 hand-formed neon tubes, from the Canopy Walk.

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