From February 14 to September 14, 2025, 'Flowers. Art from the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence' presents a journey where the endlessly evocative power of flowers emerges. The show brings together art, science, and technology creating a universal narrative that spans the centuries: from the masterpieces of Jan Brueghel to Ai Weiwei and latest experimentation with digital technologies in contemporary art.
Fragile and powerful, flowers speak a universal language that transcends centuries and cultures. They narrate emotions, celebrate beauty, silently protest, and preserve age-old tales. It is precisely to them that the Chiostro del Bramante in Rome dedicates an extraordinary exhibition: 'Flowers. Art from the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence', running from February 14 to September 14, 2025. Curated by Franziska Stöhr and Roger Diederen, in collaboration with Suzanne Landau, the exhibition offers a journey through five centuries of art, culture, and innovation.
‘Flowers are much more than simple decorative elements,’ explains Natalia de Marco, Artistic Director of the Chiostro del Bramante. ‘They act as universal symbols, epitomising every aspect of life: from resilience to spirituality, from love to conflict, from science to ecology.’ This sensory adventure comes to life in an exhibition that combines works from the past and the present, offering the public an unprecedented interpretation of the role flowers has played in the evolution of our history and society.
The masterpieces on display span from the 16th to the 21st century. Paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, tapestries, photographs, site-specific installations, and pieces using augmented reality and artificial intelligence intertwine to narrate the encounter between art and nature. Among the Masters exhibited are Jan Brueghel the Elder, depicting flowers as silent protagonists in a vast symbolic universe, suspended between sacred and profane; Girolamo Pini and his extraordinary attention to botanical detail; Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris with their delicate floral representations, evoking an ethereal beauty typical of the Pre-Raphaelite movement.
Alongside these historical works, visitors will see Ai Weiwei’s and Kapwani Kiwanga’s contemporary installations, where flowers become a metaphor for resistance, highlighting the social and political challenges of our time and the past. Studio Drift seduces the public with their technological installations inspired by natural processes, while Kehinde Wiley offers a bold and vibrant interpretation of the floral theme. Miguel Chevalier explores the question of the naturalness and artificiality of flowers with his immersive installation and Rebecca Louise Law builds a fascinating corridor in which visitors will be literally surrounded by flowers, presenting a sensory experience as unique as the olfactory journey, hosted along the exhibition path and the botanical walk, hosted in the upper loggia. Even the exterior of the Chiostro del Bramante will take center stage, completely transformed into an earthly paradise thanks to the installation by Austin Young (Fallen Fruit).
A special section will be dedicated to flowers in science and politics, emphasising how these natural symbols have often played a crucial role in cultural and social dynamics: from ecological issues (perfectly exemplified by various references to the “artistic” dimension of bees, with their tireless work of pollination) to the fights for civil rights.
The exhibition displays over 90 artworks, coming from 10 different countries around the world: the Chiostro del Bramante has indeed collaborated with prestigious institutions such as the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Petit Palais, Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. Notable lenders include the Galleria Borghese, the Biblioteca Casanatense, the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe, and The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Produced in collaboration with the Kunsthalle München, the show demonstrates how flowers are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for artists of every era. ‘The beauty of flowers is universal, but their interpretation changes over time and space,’ observes Natalia de Marco. ‘This exhibition is an invitation to rediscover the evocative power of these extraordinary gifts of nature.’
The Chiostro del Bramante, with its exceptional 16th-century aura, provides the ideal setting for an experience that combines art, nature, and technology. 'Flowers. Art from the Renaissance to Artificial Intelligence' promises to be one of the most captivating exhibitions of 2025, a journey between beauty and power that will move and surprise the public.
