Midtown, New York
John Cage
Artist and Naturalist
The Horticultural SocietyCurated by Chris Murtha Presented with the John Cage Trust and the New York Mycological Society Nature was central to the visual art practice of pioneering composer John Cage (1912-1992). His materials included river rocks, smoke, and medicinal plants, and he found particular inspiration in the study of mushrooms and the writings of Henry David Thoreau. The centerpiece of this exhibition, which showcases Cage’s plant-inspired artworks, is Mushroom Book (1972), a portfolio of lithographs created with mycologist Alexander H. Smith and artist Lois Long. The show will also include prints that incorporate Thoreau’s journal sketches and selections from Edible Drawings (1990), a series of handmade papers made with ingredients from the artist’s macrobiotic diet. The Horticultural Society of New York provides programs that sustain the vital connection between people and plants, growing a broad community of New Yorkers that values horticulture and giving even those with limited resources the knowledge and opportunity to cultivate plants, thereby benefitting the environment, their neighborhoods, and their own lives. Our gallery encourages gardeners and artists alike to appreciate the creative intersection between art and nature. Exhibitions showcase emerging and established contemporary artists inspired by horticulture, botany, landscape, and the environment. The Hort's exhibitions are supported in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.