FLOWERS – FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART & CULTURE: SAATCHI GALLERY CELEBRATES CREATORS TAKING INSPIRATION FROM FLORA TODAY

SAATCHI GALLERY

• New Shoots exhibition room presents works by emerging and early-career artists, all drawing inspiration from the timeless beauty of flora.
• Amazing mural painted by British artist Sophie Mess provides stunning 50m² backdrop for visitors arriving at the exhibition.
• A partnership with Freddie’s Flowers highlights the artistry of the florist and celebrates how flowers can transform any space into a haven of beauty.

LONDON, UK (February 2025) – As part of its major spring exhibition FLOWERS – FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART & CULTURE supported by Cazenove Capital and Buccellati, Saatchi Gallery invites visitors to explore a diverse collection of works by emerging and early-career artists, all drawing inspiration from the timeless beauty of flora under the theme of New Shoots.

Many pieces have been created in recent months and are being shown for the first time at Saatchi Gallery.

This dynamic showcase offers a rich variety of artistic approaches, with each piece reflecting the unique ways in which artists are interpreting the natural world. It demonstrates how artists working today continue to use the inspiration of flora in order to capture beauty, energy, light, symbolism and vitality. Some focus on conveying the sheer beauty of flowers and nature, while others use floral imagery to explore ideas about life, mortality, and human nature.

New Shoots artists include Nick Archer, Dominic Beattie, Susan Beech, Faye Bridgwater, Orlanda Broom, Lottie Cole, Reuben Dangoor, Joanna Ham, Rose Electra Harris, Realf Heygate, Florence Hutchings, Mila Ilingina, Kate Gibb, Grace Gillespie, Kior Ko, Jan Sebastian Koch, Caroline Larsen, Anastasija Michailova, Andrew Millar, Ally McIntyre, Galina Munroe, Janet Pulcho, Dan Rawlings, Andrew Salgado, Florent Stosskopf, Mimei Thompson, Christina Zimpel, Jess Wilson. Offering a chance to support these artists directly, many of the works are available for purchase through the Gallery Shop.

In addition to this, an amazing bespoke 50m² mural, painted from floor to ceiling across the Gallery’s stairway by British artist Sophie Mess, provides a stunning backdrop for visitors arriving at the exhibition. Mess is known for her vibrant, botanical inspired artworks that radiate with energy and life. Resonating with a deep connection with nature her work is bold, colourful and intricate, and grounded in a belief that art has the power to create positive impact and elevate our mental wellbeing.

The mural is titled Journey of Progress and offers a personal reflection of Mess’ journey as an artist: “It suggests growth is built over time, piece by piece, and that every experience is part of a larger journey of development, or all part of ‘the bigger picture’. The soft blue flowers at the darker bottom of the piece represent early, quiet stages of growth, while the bold, fiery oranges and yellows of the flamboyant tulips at the top symbolize breakthroughs and powerful moments of progress.”

Saatchi Gallery is also delighted to be working in partnership with Freddie’s Flowers to highlight the artistry of the florist, and celebrate how flowers can transform any space into a haven of beauty.

Freddie’s Flowers will unveil a stunning free-to-enter floral installation over Mother’s Day weekend on the Gallery’s Ground Floor. Inspired by the omnipresence of flowers in contemporary culture, the installation will serve as an artistic expression of beauty in the everyday demonstrating how flowers can infuse even the most industrial spaces with life, colour, and joy.

Freddie Garland, founder of Freddie’s Flowers, shares his excitement about the collaboration: “I am unbelievably excited to see the joyful addition we’ll be able to bring to this exhibition. I’ve always seen flowers as an ever-changing piece of art that you can have in your home, and their beauty and uniqueness continue to inspire me daily. This partnership allows us to further explore how you can elevate your daily surroundings with the beauty of fresh flowers.”

Freddie’s Flowers will also create a limited-edition flower arrangement in collaboration with Saatchi Gallery, available to purchase online in April. The arrangement will be a beautiful fusion of Freddie’s signature style and the vibrant world of contemporary art.

For those wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the artistry behind flower arranging, Freddie will be hosting a series of exclusive flower arranging workshops at Saatchi Lates on 28 March. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the expert himself, gaining insider tips and techniques to bring the artistry of flowers into their own homes.

Flowers – Flora In Contemporary Art & Culture presents over 500 unique artworks and objects across two floors and nine major gallery spaces to showcase the ongoing influence of flowers on creativity and human expression. The project partner for a presentation of photographic works from Flora Imaginaria, curated by Danaé Panchaud and William Ewing, is the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography (FEP). The exhibition is supported by Cazenove Capital and Buccellati.

Saatchi Gallery Lates will take place on 14 February, 28 February, 14 March, 28 March, 11 April and 2 May, and will feature drawing classes, workshops and creative activations.

Other featured artists include:

Cristina Alcantara, Pedro Almodóvar, Nobuyoshi Araki, Nick Archer, Gillian Ayres, Jessica Backhaus, Mandy Barker, Brendan Barry, Susan Beech, Valérie Belin, Andy Bettles, Elizabeth Blackadder, John Blakemore, Jean Baptiste Bosschaert, Faye Bridgwater, Orlanda Broom, Buccellati, Olga Cafiero, Ann Carrington, Rob & Nick Carter, Miguel Chevalier, Christo, Philip Colbert, Lottie Cole, Stephanie Comilang, Sharon Core, Michael Craig-Martin, Reuben Dangoor, Lia Darjes, William Darrell, Tom de Houwer, Richard de Tscharner, Elspeth Diederix, Jim Dine, Nathalie Djurberg & Hans Berg, Ron van Dongen, Xuebing Du, Elaine Duigenan, Pamela Ellis Hawkes, Ruud van Empel, Joanna Epstein, Mary Fedden, Robert Frank, Anne von Freyburg, Erwan Frotin, Adam Fuss, Matthieu Gafsou, Grace Gillespie, Sky Glabush, Daniel Gordon, Maro Gorky, Roberto Greco, Jo Grogan, Anna Halm Schudel, Joanna Ham, Rose Electra Harris, Dan Hays, George Henry, Realf Heygate, Damien Hirst, Aimée Hoving, Gary Hume, Florence Hutchings, Mila Ilingina, Yinka Ilori, Michelle Jung, Nadav Kander, Heath Kane, Sandra Kantanen, Alex Katz, Rob Kesseler, Kior Ko, Jan Sebastian Koch, Irene Küng, Yayoi Kusama, Wole Lagunju, Caroline Larsen, Rebecca Louise Law, David Lebe, Laura Letinsky, Kathrin Linkersdorff, Brigitte Lustenberger, Mari Mahr, Martin Maloney, Ann Mandelbaum, Tony Matelli, Margaret Mellis, Sophie Mess, Anastasija Michailova, Andrew Millar, Banita Mistry, Carmen Mitrotta, Abelardo Morell, William Morris, Alphonse Mucha, Vik Muniz, Galina Munroe, Takashi Murakami, Winifred Nicholson, Jesse Pollock, Janet Pulcho, Stormy Pyeatte, Marc Quinn, Dan Rawlings, Marcel Rickli, Almudena Romero, Paul Rousteau, Andrew Salgado, Frederick Sander, Viviane Sassen, Thirza Schaap, Schiaprelli, Helene Schmitz, Martin Schoeller, Megan Seiter, Amy Shelton, Ann Shelton, David Shrigley, Niki Simpson, Chieska Fortune Smith, Paul Anthony Smith, Soldier, Rudolf Steiner, Holly Stevenson, Florent Stosskopf, Daniel The Gardener, Rebecca Thomas, Mimei Thompson, Miriam Tölke, VOYDER, Robert Walker, Tim Walker, Tom Wesselmann, Vivienne Westwood, Jo Whaley, Jess Wilson, Emma Witter, Kasia Wozniak, Nadirah Zakariya, Christina Zimpel, Victoria Zschommler, Andrew Zuckerman

Curatorial project partners include: Chelsea Physic Garden, Cinema Poster Gallery, The Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography (FEP), Marimekko, Mary Quant Limited, Sanderson Design Group including Morris & Co., William Morris Gallery

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