Who Is That Masked Man? The Orchids Aren’t Telling.
Nytimes reports that Mr. Flower Fantastic, the guest designer for the New York Botanical Garden’s 2026 Orchid Show, keeps his face hidden and lets his art speak for itself. His installation, “The Orchid Show: Mr. Flower Fantastic’s Concrete Jungle,” creates an urban landscape overrun by orchids: Phalaenopsis cascade down a brownstone facade, a dumpster overflows with blossoms, mock subway stops such as Orchid Avenue and Desert Avenue appear, and a flower-filled newsstand offers instructions on orchid care.
Mr. Flower Fantastic, who grew up in Jamaica, Queens and draws on ties to Jamaica the island, preserves his anonymity with a respirator mask that also protects him from a severe pollen allergy. He began leaving floral works around the city, gained attention with sneaker sculptures and presented a floral recreation for Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S.
Open, later working with brands and on a piece for the Brooklyn Museum. The show, Mr.
United States, New York City