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Gardens of the Orient exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe until 25th September 2016

It’s no coincidence that the Persian word for garden, pairi-daeza, is at the root of the word ‘paradise’ – gardens have always been a source of peace for man (like the garden at la Belle Juliette and the patio at Le Baume), and this new exhibition looks at the history of gardens all over the Orient, across the centuries…

Here’s all the info.
Exposition Jardins d'Orient à l'Institut du Monde Arabe jusqu'au 25 septembre 2016It’s quite a feat to make plants grow in the hot and dry environments of certain countries, but from the hanging gardens of Babylon to the Alhambra in Grenada (and lots of others), man has always tried to tame and harness nature, creating many-perfumed places of peace, gardens as beautiful as they are improbable.

The Institut du Monde Arabe would like to show you the ingenuity and beauty of these creations through an exhibition including over 300 exhibits, retracing the history of Oriental gardens from ancient times to the most recent innovations.

The exhibition is divided into five zones:

– Territory: from desert to fertile plain
– The traditinal grammar and specificities of gardens in the Orient
– The use of of gardens in the Arab-Muslim world
– The strong ties between cities and gardens
– The ‘garden planet’, or, why cultivate at all?

A lot of ingenuity was often necessary for creating gardens, coupled with in-depth botanical and technical knowledge, especially in the use of water, often (and still) a rare resource.

Exposition Jardins d'Orient à l'Institut du Monde Arabe jusqu'au 25 septembre 2016
photo : Thierry Rambaud/IMA

The Institut has also asked landscape gardener Michel Péna to create garden on their forecourt which forms a perfect star when viewed from one particular spot. It’s proof that a garden can sprout from even the most arid land if you use the right techniques!

Want to learn more? Themed workshops are being held around the exhibition (great for kids), and an official catalogue is also available (212 pages, 25€ here at amazon.fr).

Definitely one of the most interesting exhibitions of the summer!

The exhibition Gardens of the Orient – from the Alhambra to the Taj Mahal is at the Institut du Monde Arabe (here) until 25th September 2016

Website (in French): www.imarabe.org

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Twitter: twitter.com/imarabe #JardinsIMA

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