Date and Time

• Sunday, Sep 6, 2026  1pm - 2pm

Location

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Details

What can a thorn, a piece of coral, or even the tailbone of a horseshoe crab become in the hands of an artist?

Spend an afternoon with internationally renowned artist Michele Oka Doner as she explores the natural world that has inspired and shaped her remarkable five-decade career.

Working across sculpture, drawing, photography, public art, functional objects, and design, Oka Doner transforms close observation of nature into a distinctive visual language that moves among art, science, and spirituality.

During this special artist talk, Oka Doner will share insights into her creative practice, the ideas and discoveries that have influenced her work, and her lifelong fascination with the forms, patterns, and unexpected beauty found in nature.

The conversation also offers a special connection to the Taubman Museum of Art’s Permanent Collection, which includes two works by Oka Doner. Untitled (Terrible Chair Series) transforms thorn- and coral-like forms into a striking bronze and gold-leaf sculpture that blurs the boundaries between art and design. Her 2025 Untitled photograph finds something equally unexpected in nature: the tailbone of a horseshoe crab held in a hand, its form bearing the uncanny resemblance of a human face.

Join us for this special event to discover how looking closely at the natural world can open an extraordinary world of artistic possibility.

Free and welcoming to all, though registration is required to reserve your seat.