- Symposium
Sortir de l‘enclos : jardins et politique(s). Histoires, expériences et perspectives franco-allemandes – Bad Muskau (Germany)
Escaping the enclosure: gardens and politics. French and German history, experience and perspectives.
France-Germany colloquium on Gardens and politics
The art of French and German gardens boasts a long and shared history, marked by reciprocal influences. Dynastic links, wartime conflicts or desires to represent those in power have also influenced parks and gardens, which have been staged or possessed based on individual aims. This event proposes to approach the subject of links between gardens and politics from the specific French – German angle. The aim is, not only to portray the role of gardens as symbols of political power for their creators, but also the manner in which historic gardens were later instrumentalised for political purposes. The event will also focus on the consequences of borders within historic gardens, on their destruction and their reconstruction, not forgetting the opportunities for creation of cross-border parks as ‘cultural gateways’. The study of the importance of the pedagogical and educational virtues of gardens will lead to discussion on contemporary issues and on the attention afforded to their societal potential as sites of citizen integration and engagement.