FROM 27 MAR – 30 AUG '26 | Kunsthal Rotterdam presents Flowers Forever, the first major exhibition in the Netherlands to explore the cultural history of flowers in art, design, fashion, politics, religion and science. The show runs until 30 August 2026.
The many meanings of flowers
The exhibition traces how flowers have been represented and valued across centuries, from ancient myths and religious symbols to status objects, trade commodities and, in today’s context, fragile links in the global ecosystem. Visitors will discover how these motifs have shaped visual culture and social history alike.
Through seven thematic chapters, Flowers Forever reveals the richness and variety of floral imagery and symbolism. Paintings, sculptures, photographs and large-scale installations guide visitors through this multi-layered story, showing the enduring appeal and significance of flowers across cultures and eras.
Highlights you will see inside
A few works stand out straight away, both visually and thematically.
Flowers Forever opens with a show-stopping entrance piece: Calyx by Rebecca Louise Law. It is built from more than 100,000 dried flowers, setting the tone for an exhibition that moves between beauty, craft, trade, and the hidden costs behind the flower industry.
One thread follows the long history of botanical illustration and how knowledge about plants travelled. Patricia Kaersenhout responds to Maria Sibylla Merian’s Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium (1705), linking the study of insects and plants to colonial routes and extraction.
Another thread looks at value, obsession, and the way nature gets turned into a product. In Anna Ridler’s Mosaic Virus (2019), tulip growth becomes a moving image that shifts with Bitcoin market fluctuations, a sharp nod to speculation culture.
The exhibition also touches on everyday consumption. Tracey Bush builds collages from discarded packaging, pushing you to notice what gets thrown away once the “pretty” part of a product is gone.
There is also room for sculpture and installation that plays with symbolism and movement. Kapwani Kiwanga’s The Marias references the peacock flower and its layered historical meanings, while Studio DRIFT’s Meadow brings kinetic, mechanical flowers into the space.
If you like digital work, you will also find Miguel Chevalier’s interactive garden Extra Natural, which invites you to step into a responsive, imagined ecosystem.
Collaboration with Kunsthalle München
The exhibition is organised in close collaboration with Kunsthalle München. By bringing together works from different disciplines and periods, the project offers an experience that is as sensory as it is informative, combining aesthetic beauty with historical perspective.
Practical information
- Dates: 27 March – 30 August 2026
- Location: Kunsthal Rotterdam, Hal 2
- Organised with: Kunsthalle München
Location and directions
Kunsthal Rotterdam is located on the Museumpark, close to Het Nieuwe Instituut and Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen. It is easily reached by tram or metro (Eendrachtsplein), and within walking distance from Rotterdam Central Station.
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