Giant Lotus Sculpture ‘Breathing Flower’ Installed in Front of MFA

Photo by Cassidy Hopkins

The MFA is celebrating the arrival of spring with a new larger-than-life art installation on their front lawn. Seoul-based artist Choi Jeong Hwa’s “Breathing Flower” put down roots Wednesday afternoon near the museum’s Huntington Ave. entrance.

The 20-foot-wide inflatable lotus flower gently moves and glows, as the petals, which are made of red fabric, seemingly “breathe.” The lotus represents purity in some Asian cultures, while the color red is often associated with good fortune. For Choi, “Breathing Flower” is meant to illustrate the beauty found in the natural world.

Choi’s floral sculpture has appeared in other cities around the globe, including San Francisco and Sydney. However, this is the first time it’s making an appearance in Boston. 

Check out Boston‘s time lapse of the “Breathing Flower” installation below:

The installation of “Breathing Flower” is the first step in welcoming the MFA’s upcoming exhibition Megacities Asia. The new exhibit, on view from April 3-July 17, will be the largest contemporary exhibition ever presented at the MFA.

Megacities will feature various large-scale sculptures and installations that visitors can walk under, through, or along. Each piece will examine larger issues related to urbanization. Works will be featured from eleven established and emerging artists hailing from “megacities,” which have a population of 10 million or more. The list includes Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Seoul.

“Fruit Tree,” another sculpture by Choi Jeong Hwa, is planned for installation at Marketplace Center near Faneuil Hall on April 7.