Nepenthes (sculpture)

of carnivorous plants of the same name (Nepenthes bokorensis pictured). Nepenthes is a series of four sculptures by Dan Corson. Located along Northwest Davis Street between Fifth and Eighth Avenues, the pieces are inspired by the genus of carnivorous plants of the same name, commonly referred to as tropical pitcher plants. According to Corson and the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), which maintains the sculpture series, the work and genus are named after the "magical Greek potion that eliminates sorrow and suffering". The agency said that Nepenthes "insert[s] a quirky expression of nature into an urban environment" and celebrates the "unique and diverse community" of Portland's Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. ==Reception==

Nepenthes received a mixed reception. RACC has reportedly received mixed reviews from "folks who felt that [the sculptures] sort of appeared out of nowhere and were a little random in their placement." John Metcalfe of CityLab writes, "Portland residents have had the unexpected pleasure of walking through an alien greenhouse of huge, bizarrely colored carnivorous plants." Art and Architecture refers to them as "amazing structures". The online trend community blog Trend Hunter calls the work "incredibly vibrant" and "visually striking", and says it "gives 'urban jungle' a completely new meaning". The architecture and design weblog Inhabitat calls them "beautiful, quirky and exotically colorful." The daily web magazine Designboom says of the statues, "each fiberglass sculpture glows from within at night creating an intriguing and dramatic street presence", Kristi in Arts, a Portland public art blog, noting that, "The goal is for the sculptures to create an inviting pathway leading people from the Pearl District into Old Town" ==See also==