A Study on Floral Installation Art in Public Space

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Floral installation art is the visual art and spatial art, which creates and forms beautifulness based on formative elements and principles to create the form, using the plants as the subjects, so as to express tangible forms or objects. It is also an environmental art that creates new environment through art works. This study examined the artistic and social values of floral installation art in public space through the 'Flower Flash' of Lewis Miller, and investigated and analyzed various positive effects that the participation and communication between artist and audience would have on human beings. (Methodology) The concepts of public space, installation art, and floral installation art were summarized through literatures, and based on that, the Flower Flash, a floral installation art work, was summarized and analyzed. (Results) Public space is a space that generates community solidarity with neighbors and forms a space for meeting them, and serves as a space for interaction and idea exchange that has an effect on improvement of quality of life, and also offers physical, mental, and health benefits. People feel psychologically happy and tend to be more active in public space. Thus, the results of this study showed that floral installation art had a positive effect on public interest, environmental features, and physical and psychological health of human beings. (Conclusion) The visual effect of floral installation art enhances aesthetic features of public space, and the plant materials, used as the main materials, alleviate tension and anxiety of the audience, making them feel emotionally stable. The vitality of plants realizes natural beautifulness, induces participation of the audience for communication and harmony between artist and audience so as to improve the environment and produce a lot of positive effect on the audience. The Flower Flash of the florist Lewis Miller installs beautiful flowers as the materials of art work in unexpected public space. The floral installation art works, created with bright and beautiful flower, are spotted unexpectedly by local residents, like a flash of light that makes them awaken from routine life. Using the plants as the main materials of floral installation art in public space, the floral installation art works improve the environment of public space and create positive effect such as comfort, happiness, alleviation of stress, aroma therapy, etc., and give the feeling of being away, extent, and fascination. Thus, it is hoped that this study would provide useful data for fusion/convergence studies, such as design, formative art, sociology, psychology, environmentology, medical science, etc., and stimulate related researchers.