A botanical expert, Patricia Laigneau is a garden artist. She has created a world of fairy tale at the Château du Rivau in the French Loire Valley. She is one of the 30 contemporary artists exposed in an exhibition dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci. A Renaissance ball is organised on Saturday 18 May in honour of MuseumWeek’s 2019 edition.

1. Le château du Rivau has been taking part in MuseumWeek since 2016. What is behind your participating in the event? Is it perhaps the international aspect? Or for the benefit of tourism?

The main reason is that the château du Rivau, while having culture at the heart of its project is in a rural area. Castles belong, for most people, to historical heritage and are not seen as places of artistic creation. Yet at Rivau, we are trying to do our bit by having contemporary artist imagination tackle issues linked to the ideals of castle life. Thus, while exploring today’s issues (i.e. in terms of a reflection of society), through artistic perspectives on a listed site, we are taking part in our time’s intellectual life hoping to make it grow in a rural environment.
In the garden (the Rivau gardens are listed “Gardens of Remarkable Interest”[1]) the dialogue between past and current creativity is come alive through the prism of contemporary artwork in keeping with fairy tale magical artefacts, bearers of wonders. Yet a new way of unveiling Art in the gardens thanks to MuseumWeek.

2. As an art historian, you devote your magnificent venue to creation i.e. the makings of an enchanted dream: what plans do you have?

I don’t consider myself to be an art historian, I have merely studied it. I rather see myself as a go-between. I thus try to act. I chose the creative side of the fence since garden art offered me the opportunity to create works of art using plants as media. I try and offer our visitors a dream awakened, an immersion into a phantasmagorical world.
My plans: have the dream I managed to make real continue.
I am grateful for MuseumWeek contributing to its continuation.

[1] « Jardin d’Intérêt Remarquable »

> www.chateaudurivau.com