“Die Hoffnung der Pflanzen: The Hope of Plants,” through February 23

Through Saturday, February 23

German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA

Coupling the intentional carved marks of 15th-century wood engravings with the bold shapes and composition of early-20th-century expressionist woodcuts, Joseph Lappie's art exhibition Die Hoffnung der Pflanzen: The Hope of Plants will be on display at Davenport's German American Heritage Center through February 23, delivering a hand-colored contemporary portrayal of personal herbology, or the assumed language of a plant and its individual meaning to a person.

With the subjects of his latest exhibit including representations of herbs, flowers, vegetables, roots, and the occasional creature, Lappie is the chair and a professor of the Art + Design department at Davenport's St. Ambrose University and teaches bookbinding, papermaking, printmaking, and drawing. He developed and continues to grow a print and book concentration there. Joseph works heavily in the Quad Cities to provide free or near-free book, paper and print demonstrations for area K-12 schools, organizations, and even on the sidewalks of the community. Receiving his M.F.A. in Interdisciplinary Book & Paper Arts at Columbia College Chicago, Lappie shows his installation print work and artist’s books throughout the country. Recently exhibiting a solo show at the Figge Art Museum, he has also displayed his artin Atlanta, Chicago, Iowa City, London, New York, Portland, and Seoul. His work is collected in multiple collections including Yale Arts Library, SAIC, Ringling College of Art & Design, and the Jaffe Book Arts Collection.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, the German American Heritage Center was built by John Brus and opened in 1862 as the Germania House, a gasthaus (guest house) for immigrants. In 1876, it was renamed the Miller Hotel after being bought by John Frederick Miller, a German immigrant who had been a manufacturer in the city since the 1850s, and the hotel's name was changed several additional times during the 20th century, becoming the Arcade Hotel around 1906, the Henry Blessing Boarding House around 1917, and the Standard Hotel in 1924. Since being founded as a not-for-profit cultural institution in 1994, the German American Heritage Center has evolved into a museum that includes a large permanent exhibit and two rotating special exhibits. The venue also provides educational programs, workshops, and classes relating to the German American experience and culture; assists in the coordination of festivals to foster an understanding of German American heritage; provides for cultural exchange through language classes and production of cultural presentations to the public; and partners with other heritage groups on programs, exhibits, and events.

Die Hoffnung der Pflanzen: The Hope of Plants will be on display in the third-floor gallery of the German American Heritage Center, and regular venue hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission to the exhibit is free with $3-5 general admission, and more information is available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.