The Morris Arboretum is opening a new exhibit, Morris Arboretum in Motion, featuring more than 50 kinetic wind sculptures by artist Lyman Whitaker.

At the grand opening on Saturday, April 1, from 1 to 3 p.m., arboretum visitors will have the opportunity to meet Whitaker and watch as he creates a sculpture with the help of W. B. Saul High School students. The sculpture will be donated to a local non-profit organization.

Also on April 1, at 11 a.m., visitors can experience a live performance of the "The Morris Arboretum Suite,” eight music compositions created specifically for the Morris Arboretum’s Creative Expressions online and mobile tour. Composer and musician Nicholas Escobar, a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, will play the keyboard accompanied by a seven-piece string ensemble of Penn student musicians. The group will also play “St. Catherine's Hill,” a classical piece Nicholas composed for theLandscape / Soundscape exhibit at the University’s Arthur Ross Gallery. Weather permitting, the performance will take place at the Baxter Memorial, adjacent to the Garden Railway. In the case of inclement weather, the performance will take place in the Upper Gallery.

Lyman Whitaker is an American sculptor working in southern Utah. Whitaker has been a working sculptor for more than 40 years. Since the early 1980s, Whitaker has focused on kinetic art, creating "Wind Sculptures" -- artworks driven by the wind. His constructs are organic in nature and dependent upon their natural surroundings to provide their movement. They are also intended to make observers think about their surroundings and their own relationship to nature.

Lyman Whitaker’s compositions are all hand-crafted in his studio. They range in height from 5 to 27 feet tall and can be installed alone, in small groupings, or in "Wind Forests." The kinetic shapes are bold and distinctive, and sculptures are fabricated from copper, steel, and stainless steel that provide beauty and strength.

By placing the sculptures in settings that are dependent on natural elements for movement, participants are prompted to think about their surroundings. When seen in motion these wind sculptures create a mesmerizing effect for viewers.

Visitors to Morris Arboretum will have the chance to experience 57 kinetic wind sculptures throughout the garden. All sculptures will be available for purchase through the Leopold Gallery, and 25% of all sales will benefit Morris Arboretum.

This exhibit is free with admission and will be in the garden through October 9. 

Embracing the kinetic theme of Morris Arboretum in Motion, 2017 marks the 20th year of its ever-popular Garden Railway. Model trains will be in motion zipping around an outdoor quarter mile track, surrounded by miniature plantings and meticulous replicas of famous Philadelphia landmarks and other buildings with a whimsical theme.

Learn more about the work of Lyman Whitaker at www.leopoldgallery.com.

This exhibit is supported in part by the Madeline K. Butcher Fine Arts Endowment.