Art Park at The CCD Celebrates the Secret Language of Flowers!

DUBLIN – 7 June 2013 – In the true spirit of Summer, The Art Park, Dublin’s largest outdoor visual arts screen which is projected onto the rear wall of The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) , will display ‘The Secret Language of Flowers’. A truly spectacular visual exhibition featuring the exquisite botanical drawings of Ireland’s greatest living botanical illustrator Wendy Walsh.

The projection coincides with the launch of Dublin’s Bloom Festival and plays a visual homage to the centuries old practice of attributing a language to flowers. Stemming from Chinese origins, also incorporating Greek mythology, and Greek and Roman cultures, the language of flowers has been celebrated throughout centuries by writers, poets and artists.

While the meanings attributed to this language could differ by geographical location, the Victorians eagerly adopted the subject, inspired by the travel writings of several courageous travellers of that time. Learning the language of flowers at this time was key, as their colours, as well as how they were presented on the body, or tied in a bunch, could define a meaning, a gift or response. Without putting pen to paper, the sentiments of love, refusal, jealousy, splendour and affection could be exchanged.

Wendy Walsh is one of Ireland's foremost botanical artists. She is the recipient of many international honours and awards including several Royal Horticultural Society gold medals. She is known internationally for her books produced in conjunction with the distinguished botanist Dr E Charles Nelson, former taxonomist at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. 'An Irish Florilegium' won a bronze medal for the 'Most beautiful Book in the World' at the Leipzig Book Fair.

Additional floral photographic images in this projection are by her grandson, James Fennell, an internationally acclaimed lifestyle and portrait photographer whose fourth series co-publication of ‘Vanishing Ireland’ with historian Turtle Bunbury will be published this autumn.

‘The Secret Language of Flowers’ will be projected nightly from dusk to 1am at The Art Park on the rear wall of The CCD until 16 June.