Exhibition-Contest Conception

LABYRINTH – ORNAMENT - SYMBOL

The exhibition-contest of landscape art 2009 will be devoted to the theme of labyrinth.

Labyrinth is an amazing in all aspects phenomenon. Depictions of labyrinths are familiar to many cultures. They appeared at dawn of human history. One of the most well-known mentions of a labyrinth is connected with the ancient Greek myth about the Minotaur, brave youth Theseus, who defeated the beast and found exit from a dark underground labyrinth on Crete island thanks to love of beautiful Ariadne…

The uniqueness of this phenomenon is mainly in the basic idea of a labyrinth that combines decorative effect with multi-layer meaning. Therefore artistic and spiritual meaning of labyrinth makes it popular not only as a fantastical ornament, decoration or conundrum, but also as a reflection of complexity and ambiguity of human life.

The task for participants of the exhibition-contest is to disclose an ornamental and symbolic diversity of labyrinth by means of landscape architecture and park and garden art. It can be well-known historical analogues of labyrinths from the world’s parks and gardens, artistic images of labyrinths as well as modern interpretations.

Basing on an analysis of history and development of labyrinths in landscape art it’s offered to introduce three nominations for expositions that are presented for the contest:

1. Labyrinth-Ornament (Ornamental flower-beds based on representations of labyrinth).
2. Labyrinth-Symbol (Contemplative turf and stone labyrinths based on historical and modern analogues).
3. Garden Labyrinth (Interactive labyrinths based on historical and modern garden labyrinths).

20 lots for expositions of participants of the exhibition-contest are allotted on the ground of the Mikhailovsky Garden.