What We Fund
“Rose Crystal Tower” Sculpture by Dale Chihuly
On Friday, November 1, 2018, a large-scale sculpture by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly was unveiled in the plaza in front of the New Orleans Botanical Garden in New Orleans City Park. The installation of Chihuly’s Rose Crystal Tower was underwritten by The Helis Foundation and it stayed at this location for two years, through the end of 2020. The sculpture was previously on view in New York City’s Union Square Park.
“New Orleans City Park is an iconic landmark for New Orleans residents and visitors, making it the perfect setting for Dale Chihuly’s colorful sculpture,” said David Kerstein, President of The Helis Foundation. “The Helis Foundation is committed to offering New Orleanians access to world-class art, and we are proud to bring a monumental work by one of our generation’s most significant artists to public view in New Orleans.”
Rose Crystal Tower stands 22-feet tall and is composed of Polyvitro and steel. Polyvitro is the artist’s term for a plastic material with similar visual properties to glass. Chihuly used Polyvitro crystals in his landmark exhibition, Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem 2000.
“New Orleans’ rich creative history offers infinite inspiration for artists,” said Dale Chihuly. “I am excited to present Rose Crystal Tower at New Orleans City Park and hope it is enjoyed by visitors and residents, alike.”
About the Artist
Dale Chihuly is an American artist known for revolutionizing the studio glass movement and elevating perceptions of the glass medium. Over his 50-year career, the artist has become known for his iconic glass sculptures and ambitious architectural installations in historic cities, museums and gardens around the world.
Chihuly utilizes a variety of media including glass, paint, charcoal, graphite, neon, ice, and Polyvitro to realize his creative vision. The artist’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass. Major exhibitions include Chihuly Over Venice (1995-96), Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem (1999), de Young Museum in San Francisco (2008), the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2011), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (2012) and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada (2013). Chihuly Garden and Glass opened in Seattle in 2012.
