Garden of Delights Exhibition Opens in Tallinn
The official opening of Garden of Delights. The Seventeenth Century in Bloom, an exhibition by The Phoebus Foundation led by Belgian entrepreneur Fernand Huts, occurred on Friday in Tallinn, Estonia. Featuring over three hundred works, the exhibition illuminates the role of nature, particularly flowers, in the art of the Low Countries, reports 24brussels.
The Phoebus Foundation asserts that each floral still life showcases stories of status and prestige, love and desire, and the inevitable fear of death. It highlights the transient nature of human life, much like that of flowers.
Through pigment analyses, special scans, and various research techniques, restorers have unearthed hidden narratives within the layers of paintings from renowned artists such as Jan Brueghel the Elder, Clara Peeters, and Anna Maria Janssens.
Fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck serves as the scenographer of the exhibition. Utilizing oversized model flowers, custom-designed carpets, and contemporary fashion silhouettes from designers like Dries Van Noten and Comme des Garçons, he aims to transport visitors through a blend of floral environments and chambers of wonder.
The exhibition is located at the Kadriorg Art Museum in Tallinn, situated in a palace constructed by Russian Tsar Peter the Great in the 18th century for his second wife, Catherine. It remains open until January 25, 2026.
Business Relations
The presence of this exhibition in Estonia stems from the business relationships Fernand Huts has cultivated within the country. In 2009, his logistics company Katoen Natie established operations in Estonia following its acquisition of the Dutch Unieveem group at the port of Muuga.
Additionally, The Phoebus Foundation has successfully organized exhibitions in several countries, including the United States, Canada, and France, in prior years.
