By 1980, Chihuly was sidelined as a maker due to injuries, but this seemed to make him only more productive, as he began orchestrating teams of artisans to realize his vision. His work became increasingly ornate, recalling the Venetian baroque or art nouveau or, for that matter, cinematic special effects. He would go on to make gigantic open-air projects in Venice and elsewhere, and to populate botanical gardens with his variously spiky and seductive sculptures, like so many oversize tropical flowers.
