In 2017, the Ayuntamiento de Córdoba (council) decided to liven up the city’s autumn calendar with an event which would bring alegría (joy) to the streets.
Córdoba is synonymous with the season of spring and even the month of May is adopted by it, known affectionately as ‘El mayo córdobes‘.
This is a culturally rich season celebrating the arrival of Andalucía’s most pleasant weather where locals and tourists alike descend upon the Cata del Vino, the Cruces de mayo and the mother of all Córdobes festivals, the Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud.
However, its autumn had been lacking something. As the much awaited cooler weather draws in, there tended not to be much to look forward to until Christmas.
What better idea then to bring international artists, floral art installations, light and melodies to town?
Thus, Festival FLORA was conceived.
Córdoba, being renowned for its beautiful patios and indeed its annual Patios festival in May, is the ideal setting to house such ambitious and striking floral art installations.
The concept is this- international floral artists are invited to participate with sizeable monetary prizes (2018’s winner received 30,000 euros). They are assigned a municipal patio each sponsored by various businesses then they come to Córdoba for a preliminary viewing of their site.
Along with local volunteers, the artists get to work in designing and constructing their entries across roughly a one week span. The city becomes awash with literally thousands of flowers of all sorts of exotic origins, whatever the artist requires to realise their floral vision.
Here, I’m going to show you all of the installations from 2018 and 2017. Enjoy the pictures! All photos are mine/taken by me.
2018 Edition
‘Ahí Viene El Sol- Natalia Zhizhko (Russia)
Here Comes The Sun [ENG]
@ Diputación de Córdoba; El Patio del Reloj
My absolute favourite this year!
‘Fluid’- Sherlovell Yu (China)
Flowing [ENG]
Other favourite!
‘Capricho’- Carly Rogers (United Kingdom)
Folly [ENG]
‘Los Niños del Parque’- Mark Colle (Belgium) WINNER 2018
The Children of the Park [ENG]
‘El Impulso de la Pasión’ – Hideyuki Niwa (Japan) SECOND PRIZE 2018
Driven by Passion [ENG]
@ Centro de Flamenco Fosforito
‘Perseida’ – Lola Guerrera (Córdoba, Spain)
Perseids (meteor shower) [ENG]
@ Palacio de Orive
2017 Inaugural Edition
There were six participating artists who filled the city with their stunning designs.
I am now going to show you photos of each one. Enjoy the pictures!
‘Deseo y Delirio’- Tomas de Bruyne (Belgium) SECOND PRIZE 2017
Desire and Delirium (ENG)
I absolutely loved this installation and still swoon over the pictures a year on. The palette of soft pinks, yellows and oranges against the sandy coloured backdrop of the building was so gorgeous to behold.
A flurry of flowers, butterflies and glass baubles seemingly suspended in mid-air with white metal trees in the traditional Córdobes filigree design, with a stream of pink flowers was my personal winner. Stunning ❤ .
‘La Forma de un Florero’- Patrick Nadeau (France)
The Form of a Vase [ENG]
@ Museo Arqueológico
‘Antena’- Flores Cosmos (Mexico)
Antenna [ENG]
‘Duende’- Natasha Lisitsa and Daniel Shultz (United States) FIRST PRIZE 2017
No translation for duende! It loosely means a spiritual or metaphysical sensation invoked by art.
@ Centro Flamenco Fosforito- Plaza del Potro
‘Reflexiones en un Ojo Dorado’- In Water Flowers (United Kingdom)
Reflection in a Golden Eye [ENG]
@ Delegaciòn de Turismo de Córdoba
‘Valle de las Mariposas’- Alfie Lin (China)
Unfortunately I do not have photos for the other two:
‘Caída Libre’- Loose Leaf (Australia)- THIRD PRIZE 2017
Free Fall [ENG]
@ Palacio de Orive
‘Mi Propio Nirvana’- Elisabeth Blumen (Spain)
My Own Nirvana [ENG]
@ Museo Taurino
Festival FLORA has brought a unique celebration to Córdoba which is in keeping with its floral traditions along with modern, quirky art. The patios of this city remain at the heart of this festival and allow visitors and locals alike another chance to see them and not just in the Patios in May or the Patios de Navidad in December.
The organisers will now be taking a much needed rest after a busy few weeks; it will be interesting to see what they come up with next year for Festival FLORA 2019!
Laura
Laura Ferries Writer 
Pingback: Going through Customs | Daily Inkling – Normal Happenings