In 1967, the phrase "flower power" transformed the commonplace flower into a Buddhist-inspired symbol of peace. In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of San Francisco’s "Summer of Love," this art and design book showcases the expressive powers of flowers in Asian arts and cultures. Beginning in ancient times, a language of flowers, where certain blooms suggest specific themes, was communicated in art throughout Asia. Here forty artworks, all drawn from the Asian Art Museum’s renowned collection, focus on six celebrated flowers—lotus, plum blossom, cherry blossom, chrysanthemum, tulip, and rose—and the messages they convey.
A quick and engaging read, filled with full-page images worthy of framing, this exhibition catalog will be of interest to students and general readers of symbolism in religion, flowers, and the graphic arts.
Dany Chan is Assistant Curator for Exhibition Projects at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. She is a co-author of Shanghai: Art of the City. The Asian Art Museum—Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture is a public institution whose mission is to lead a diverse global audience in discovering the unique material, aesthetic, and intellectual achievements of Asian art and culture.
