Los Angeles is known for its eclectic atmosphere where just about anything is welcomed with open arms. On Feb. 6, a group of anonymous artists, who were also responsible for the Griffith Park Tea House, announced a new art installation in downtown Los Angeles called "Petal Drop." The exhibit lasted from dawn to dusk and featured over 7,000 cups of rose petals from a Southern California flower farm.
No one knew exactly what to expect when the artists released the location via Twitter. The art exhibit took place in an alleyway between Arcade and Cameo Theatre on Broadway Street. I don't know about you, but I would have been weary showing up to an art exhibit that was supposed to be in an alleyway. I mean, how could you have been sure it was an art exhibit? Still, hundreds of people showed up, waiting for as long as three hours. The artists clearly underestimated the size of the event and had to hand out tickets in order to keep track of the never-ending line.
When the door to the alleyway opened, it almost felt like you were entering Narnia or Hogwarts. Only 15 people at a time were allowed in for about 11 minutes. As they entered the exhibit, the peaceful silence enveloped them as rose petals fell from the sky. Obviously, the artists were the ones dropping the petals, but it didn't matter. In contrast to the busy and overwhelming Los Angeles environment, the secluded alleyway served as a place of solace.
I know what you're thinking, what's so special about rose petals falling from the sky? If someone told you rose petals were going to fall from the sky then you would probably laugh, call them crazy and walk away. We live in a world where we are stuck in the same reality all the time, 24/7. I think this stops us from dreaming and we start to fall into boring, repetitive routines. Sometimes we could all use a little escape and that's exactly what the Petal Drop offered.
We may not even realize it, but we crave something different. Every once in a while, we should take a moment to see the extraordinary in the simplest things. Certainly flower petals falling from the sky does not sound that exciting, yet enough people were fascinated with the idea. There's just something dreamy about rose petals falling from the sky that makes you think anything is possible. The exhibit brought out the inner child in each one of its visitors who danced, twirled and laughed as rose petals rained down.
If anything, the exhibit made for some Instagram-worthy pictures. Here are a few of my favorites:
As bizarre as the concept may have seemed, it was surprisingly serene. One of the art collective's supporters couldn't have said it better,
"Think of it as a discovery. There are these magical spaces in between the Los Angeles that we know — these liminal structures between buildings — and Los Angeles is really about discovering this magic, discovering the surrealism. So we can take credit for a new land that we found just because we stuck a flag, a note, or we can just share the waterfall with the rest of the world.”
Considering the magnitude of this event, I am almost certain there will be another Petal Drop in the near future.
The event was so spectacular even one of Hollywood's celebrities made an appearance. Yes, it definitely looks like a scene out of a Nicholas Sparks movie, but don't be fooled, it's just Misha Collins admiring some rose petals.
Even though I did not get to experience this phenomenon in person, the beauty is undeniable. The Petal Drop evoked an ephemeral quality in each individual, showing that life is full of short-lived moments. I encourage you to appreciate the little things and to "stop and smell the roses" as much as possible.
