This summer, visitors to The Greenway will have the rare opportunity to watch living sculpture take shape in real time as internationally recognized topiary artist Michael P. Gibson transforms select shrubbery in Dewey Square through the art of topiary sculpting.
Beginning Monday, May 11, and continuing through a series of return visits throughout the summer and early fall, Gibson will work onsite in Dewey Square, gradually shaping plants into imaginative living artworks. Community members, commuters, families, and visitors are encouraged to stop by throughout the season to observe the transformation as it unfolds day by day.
The project reflects the Greenway Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to bringing world-class artistry into public space while creating opportunities for everyday engagement with horticulture, design, and the natural world. By placing the creative process directly within the park, the installation invites visitors to experience horticulture not only as a form of landscape care but also as artistic expression.
About Michael Gibson
Widely regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary topiary, Gibson has spent more than 30 years advancing the art form through public installations, educational programming, and his signature Gibson Method, which blends geometry, symbolism, and storytelling. Over the course of his career, he has created more than 700 living sculptures across the United States, with projects spanning prominent public gardens, botanical institutions, and private landscapes nationwide.
Gibson’s work has been featured on Clipped alongside Martha Stewart, and he previously served as the first Artist-in-Residence at the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden. Originally from Youngstown and now based in Columbia, Gibson continues to inspire communities through the transformative potential of living sculpture and public art.
Intersection of Art and Horticulture
The installation arrives during another major artistic transformation taking place in Dewey Square this season: the creation of a new large-scale mural, The Midnight Ride, by acclaimed artist Rixy. Together, these parallel projects highlight the many ways public art can shape and energize shared spaces — from painted walls to cultivated landscapes.
Throughout the season, visitors are encouraged to return often as the topiary evolves over time. Like gardening itself, topiary is rooted in patience, care, and continual transformation, offering a reminder that meaningful change happens gradually and in relationship with the living world around us.