CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Fans of the Troll Hunt at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle can look forward to a new art installation coming in April.
The Morton Arboretum announced Thursday the newest outdoor art installation, Human+Nature, set to open April 9.
South African artist Daniel Popper has created five, giant 15- to 26-foot-tall humanlike sculptures made out of glass-reinforced concrete, fiberglass, and steel.
Unlike the wooden trolls they are replacing, the Human+Nature (pronounced “human nature”) sculptures weigh several metric tons. The largest ground footprint of the five figures will measure 28 feet wide and 37 feet long.
Built to create a sense of awe and wonder, the Human+Nature sculptures will be in located in various locations across the 1,700-acre Arboretum site to lead guests to areas they may not otherwise explore.
“Human+Nature will be uplifting and inspiring, inviting people to get outside to gain the benefits of spending time in nature,” explained Preston Bautista, Ph.D., vice president of learning and engagement. “All of the sculptures celebrate the human connection to trees.”
Among the images will be a towering interpretation of a female figure, diverse human facial traits interwoven with root structures and large-scale human hands.
“Each sculpture has a story behind it, but I like to leave the questions about each piece a little bit open, so people can come and bring their own ideas to it,” Popper said, adding, “You will find more magic in things that way.”
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This will be the first major U.S. exhibition by renowned South African artist Daniel Popper, and his largest exhibition to date anywhere in the world.
“The Morton Arboretum is the ideal place to create interactive art that connects people with trees and nature,” Popper said about collaborating with the Morton Arboretum. “The backdrops at the Arboretum are incredible places to tell stories through art about how we all coexist with trees.”
The exhibition was originally supposed to open in June 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Human+Nature will be included with timed-entry admission to the Arboretum. The exhibition is planned to run for at least one year.