Exhibits & Events

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show magically transforms ten acres of the Convention Center into a floral fantasy every year. This year the stunning Central Feature will incorporate an art exhibition, facilitated by InLiquid and curated by Chessia Kelley, of three large-scale sculptures by fine artist Brent Crothers.

Curatorial Statement:

Crother’s triptych of colossal egg-shaped forms, painstakingly created out of reclaimed materials, stand silent like the statues of Easter Island, poetically revealing volumes about our collective past and our future. During a time of piqued concern about the future of the environment, the title of the series, Water Wars, is significant, acknowledging that the war of the future will most certainly be one that is fought over water. Golden Egg #2 consists of many layers of used tire treads wrapped around an old, small fiberglass water tank to create an egg or cocoon form.
Crothers writes, “the tires are symbolic for me of oil and the industrial revolution, which is part of the root of the many power struggles today, but the real liquid gold of today and the future is fresh water and it will be through the power of oil that it will be controlled.”

The length of garden hose in Water Wars #2, a material that the guests of The Garden Show are very well-acquainted with, reminds us how wasteful we can be with the most precious of resources. Every day rivers are diverted to create lush lawns in the desert, changing forever the face of our planet and threatening the future of the land. While the threat of environmental decline is a major source of concern for horticultural enthusiasts, an air of optimism surrounds Crother’s egg-shaped forms. The egg, a symbol of rebirth, reminds us that it isn’t too late to effect positive change upon the planet. Water, like the egg, is the life-force that will allow our society, as well as our flowers, to continue to blossom.

About Brent Crothers:

This exhibition features the sculpture of Brent Crothers, who has been working professionally for over 25 years. Crothers’ sculpture frequently makes re-use of commonly found objects and materials, thereby leveraging the specific histories they carry forth as a catalyst for formulating provocative social, economic, and political commentary. His work is included in many permanent collections, such as the Corcoran Museum of Art, the Hechinger Collection, and the Delaware Art Museum. He has been the recipient of several Maryland State Arts Council grants, most recently in 2011. Crothers earned his BFA and MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He lives and works in Stoney Forest, south of Bel Air, MD in Harford County, in the home and studio he built on 15 acres of undeveloped forest.

Support provided in part by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund.

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