For those of us not lucky enough to have made it to the Chelsea Flower Show this year, you can still indulge in all things floral when Fleur de Villes opens at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) at the end of the week.
Global sensation Fleurs de Villes has announced the 15 talented Edinburgh florists who will star in the UK premiere – in Edinburgh – of ARTISTE, a spectacular new fresh floral celebration of Scotland’s remarkable art and the nation’s much-loved artists.
The florists include:
Robert Burns mannequin by Flowers for All Occasions – Inspired by Alexander Nasmyth, Robert Burns, 1759 – 1796. Poet, from the collection at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait.
Monarch of the Glen “en fleurs” by Gillytree Studio – Inspired by Sir Edwin Landseer’s The Monarch of the Glen, from the collection at National Galleries Scotland: National.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh mannequin by Partyy Event and Penelope Fleur by KDM – Inspired by the figurehead of the Glasgow Art School movement, and his prolific contributions to international Art Nouveau.
Billy Connolly Edinburgh Playhouse mannequin by Bonnie Bunches – Inspired by ‘The Big Yin’ and the landmark Edinburgh Playhouse, where Billy first performed in 1976, and numerous times since.
Annie Lennox mannequin by Flower Pixies – Inspired by the iconic outfit on the cover of Annie Lennox’s solo debut album, Diva, in 1992.
John Byrne mannequin by Wonder Flower – Inspired by esteemed portrait artist, playwright and stage designer John Byrne.
Alexander McQueen mannequin by Penelope Fleur by KDM – Inspired by the renowned designer’s collections influenced by his Scottish heritage and by Scottish culture, history, and traditions.
Dovecot Weaver mannequin by Pirita Blooms – Inspired by the 2024 summer exhibition at Dovecot Studios that features The Caged Bird’s Song – showcasing how master weavers at Dovecot brought the design to life, creating a stunning tapestry that took over three years to create.
Scottish Opera mannequin by Flowers by Kerry – Inspired by the character of Violetta Valéry, from Scottish Opera’s production of Verdi’s La traviata, directed by world-renowned Scottish director Sir David McVicar.
Jupiter Artland mannequin by Boyes Botanics – Inspired by Joana Vasconcelos’ Gateway, a colourful and interactive swimming pool art installation at Jupiter Artland, made up of vibrant, hand-painted, Portuguese tiles.
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancer mannequin by Wildbells – Inspired by The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Dancers that celebrate the cultural tradition of highland dancing while showing how contemporary the art form can be.
Annie French mannequin by Petals by the Shore – Inspired by Annie French’s The Pink Rose, from the collection at National Galleries Scotland: Modern.
Nicola Benedetti mannequin by The Flower Studio – Inspired by the renowned violinist and the first Scottish and the first female Director of The Edinburgh International Festival since it began in 1947.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart mannequin by Nikki Fleurs – Inspired by Scottish Painter Allan Ramsay’s Prince Charles Edward Stuart, 1745. Acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland in 2016, it is widely recognised as one of the most important surviving Jacobite artefacts, showing Charles’ likeness during one of the most dramatic episodes in British history, when he became the last man to lead a Scottish army into England.
Maud Sulter by Debrah J Flowers mannequin – Inspired by award-winning Scottish-Ghanaian visual artist Maud Sulter’s Terpsichore, one of nine subversive portrait photographs in her photographic series Zabat.
The exhibition opens on Friday 31st May at the Royal Botanic Garden and will run for ten days until Sunday 9th June, 2024.
https://www.rbge.org.uk/whats-on/fleurs-de-villes-artiste/
