Ian Berry Does Secret Garden All in Denim
A secret garden is a treasure trove all on its own, but when it’s a secret garden made entirely of denim, bluebloods—and even those without an insatiable love for denim—go crazy.
That’s what innovative artist Ian Berry is delivering to the public with his latest work in indigo.
The U.K.-born creator, known for his denim “paintings” that boast a depth and craftsmanship not otherwise done with denim, has launched a Secret Garden installation at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan. The goal, according to Berry’s website, is to inspire creativity in children and give them a way to interact with the arts.
Visitors to the exhibit will walk through what’s been made into a magical denim garden, complete with a trellis over a path lined in denim plants.
To create his latest denim masterpiece, Berry enlisted the help of Italian denim finishing company, Tonello, for its expertise and technology, Cone Denim, which supplied White Oak Denim for the installation, and Godmother NYC Christine Rucci, a denim expert and consultant.
“It has been such an honor to work along side Ian Berry on The Secret Garden art installation at the Children’s Museum of Art NYC. We met at NY Denim Days for the first time back in October. I was really blown away by his work in person. It was a sort of instant connection, as I am an admirer of art and of course denim lover,” Godmother NYC Christine Rucci said.
Rucci says it’s been the highlight of her 35-year career, and on Ian’s art added, “The way Ian layers the denim makes you feel like you are actually in one of his paintings. What is also incredible is the fact that it is done with cotton denim, which by nature is a duller fiber, yet somehow he masterfully does this. I am quite fond of the piece currently on display at the Children’s Museum, which needs to be seen in person,”
Rucci said. “As an urban gardener, every detail of the Secret Garden was conceived with such care, from each flower, leaf, vine, and the ‘blue’ hare.”
For Berry, using denim made in the U.S. for the installation was also a point of importance, and one of the reasons he looked to Cone Denim.
As Cone’s VP of product design and marketing Kara Nicholas said, “When Ian approached me about his Secret Garden project at the Children’s Museum of the Arts and how he was interested in denim made in the U.S. at our White Oak mill for his first New York show, I jumped at the opportunity. The Secret Garden is a beautifully designed interactive art piece for children made with fabric from our beloved White Oak mill —a wonderful tribute to an iconic place.”
Adding her insight into Berry’s creation, Tonello’s Alice Tonello said she was happy to support the artist and help him experiment with new technologies that became part of the artwork.
“I love art and I love the denim industry, but the way that Ian is using the most used garment in the world is absolutely unique and new,” Tonello said. “If you think that a
ll his artwork brings with them all the stories of the people who wore them…And this is amazing.”
In addition to the Secret Garden installation in New York City, which will run through April 2018, Ian Berry also showed at Art Basel Miami last month.
And we’ll leave the final word to Rucci, ‘’The highlight for me was while doing the installation a special needs child peeked in and as his eyes gazed up, he broke such a smile, tears streamed down my face knowing Ian has created something truly magical.”
For more on Ian Berry, visit http://www.ianberry.org/
(Photos by Lucinda Grange)