Bruce Munro's 'Southern Light' Exhibit Illuminates Brookgreen Gardens Through September 2020
Brookgreen Gardens, a premier botanical and sculpture garden on South Carolina's Grand Strand, is now hosting the enchanting "Southern Light" exhibit by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro. The immersive light installation opened on May 15 and continues through September 12, 2020.
Having visited the exhibit in mid-May, I was captivated by its magic. The evening kicked off with a recorded Zoom conversation between Brookgreen Gardens' marketing manager, Lauren Joseph, and Munro himself. Originally scheduled to attend in person, the UK-based artist joined virtually amid the pandemic. The engaging video offered insights into Munro's imaginative and whimsical creative process.
A formally trained painter, Munro first envisioned a "field of light" in 1992 while camping at Australia's Uluru (Ayers Rock), sketching his concept amid the vast landscape. He later pursued a stable career and family life. In 2003, he acquired a historic UK home on 10 acres, and by 2004, with help from local youths, he realized his first backyard "field of light." It stood for a year, garnering global acclaim and commissions.
Brookgreen first approached Munro in 2018; he toured the 9,000-acre gardens in 2019. Impressed, he noted: "My site visit reinforced the notion of a garden being made up from a series of interconnected outside rooms. It also left me with an impression that the 'garden rooms,' populated by figurative sculptures, were surrounded by an untamed landscape. It’s a magical place with an edge of the unknown!"
Using Brookgreen's landscapes as his canvas, Munro created seven bespoke light and mixed-media installations tailored to the gardens' natural "rooms."
- Water-Towers in the Visionaries Garden (10 towers from over 200 stacked recyclable water bottles, featuring animated light and sound).
- Time and Again on the Pegasus Lawn (37 stainless steel lilies forming a convex dome with shimmering radial starbursts of light).
- Hive in the Old Bell Tower (1,448 glowing "bees" appearing to return home for the evening).
- Okonjima Choral Society Behind the Garden Wall at the Rosen Carolina Terrace (2,000 "frogs" with illuminated eyes and sounds from a Namibian Amphibian Choir).
- Fireflies Along Live Oak Allee (600 fiber optic sprays emitting over 10,000 points of light).
- Field of Light Covering the Arboretum (11,700 fiber optic flower stems spanning eight acres in shifting nocturnal colors).
- Reflections Along the Welcome Center Plaza Arcade (Animated projections on the sidewalk).
These whimsical, magical displays evoke joy and wonder, aligning with Munro's self-described "butterfly mind." As he shared in the video: "That’s the idea; bringing light and joy to people’s lives." "Art should be fun and joyful," he adds. "It’s about connecting, sharing, and healing the spirit. We need a feeling of security to keep being human and look after each other."
Bruce Munro’s monumental light sculptures transform Brookgreen Gardens into a breathtaking nocturnal wonderland.
Visitor Information:
Essential details for your visit.
The exhibit operates 8:00–11:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays until September 12. Check the full schedule and purchase tickets online.
MEMBERS: Adults $20; Children 4–12, $12
NON-MEMBERS: Adults $25; Children 4–12, $15
- Face coverings are encouraged.
- Park in the grassy lot before the Welcome Center; handicapped parking available in the paved lot.
- Queue in the marked area near the Welcome Center, following sidewalk lines for 6-foot distancing.
- Social distancing enforced with staggered entry, 6-foot separations, and one-way paths.
- Wear comfortable shoes for the one-mile walk.
- Strollers unavailable; personal wheelchairs/mobility aids welcome.
- For a second loop, rejoin the entry line.
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