Gold Drapes
La Fleur Du Jour
Genevieve Targoni
2023 installation
2nd Floor - English Drawing Room
The Inspiration
Gold Drapes
The Flowers
Florist’s inspiration: This piece is inspired by the historical genre of entertainment called vaudeville, an evolution from the French Comédie-Francaise marionette shows, and the heavy velvet drapes often seen in classic gilded theatres. These productions were a popular form of entertainment, where entertainers would put on a show for the masses, prior to film and television. Vaudeville evolved from traveling minstrel, circus, freak, and French mime shows of the early 19th century. It often consisted of dancers, strong men, impersonators, acrobats, singers, trained animal acts, clowns, ventriloquists, dancers, and magicians. Examples of the form can be seen as late as mid-century in classic tv shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy, and the films Singing in the Rain and White Christmas. These gold drapes transported me to the smell of these theaters with their dark wood, musty air, and the hushed whispers of an audience anxiously await- ing magic. Marionettes and puppetry have been pop- ular entertainment since ancient Chinese civilizations but have more recently been featured in public the- aters such as The Salzburg Marionette Theater in Austria, given nod to in "The Lonely Goatherd" scene in “The Sound of Music”, — a source of inspiration for this piece.
Recipe: Main flowers. I chose kangaroo paws for the velvet curtain because of their mustard color and velvet-like textures. I hand-strung individual kangaroo buds and hung them to mimic the luscious pleats of velvet. The "wallpaper" will be an assortment of fresh and dried flowers in our color palette of creme, mustard, blush, and ice blue.
The marionette will feature a delphinium head, a tulip petal skirt, and limbs from various petals. The stage lights will be made from snapdragons.
THE DESIGNER
Genevieve Targoni
La Fleur Du Jour
Genevieve Targoni was born in Los Angeles, CA. She studied product photography in Santa Barbara, CA before discovering the world of floral art. She is a self-taught floral designer and prop stylist who has been working in the industry for 8 years. Her work has taken her around the globe and has been recognized in both local and national publications. Genevieve is best known for her vivid imagination and ritualistic attention to detail. Her work displays her love for vibrant colors and fascinating textures. Working with flowers is a cathartic experience for Genevieve and she is inspired daily by the opportunities she is given to share beauty with the world. Being surrounded by beauty contributes to her own health and happiness, thereby enabling her to pursue her passion of making the world a more beautiful place— a place where people know their value and are empowered to share their unique experiences.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Rudney Novaes Photography
Rudney Novaes brings a powerful — or, as some might say — persuasive approach to photography. His imagery articulates the delicacies of love and luxury. He began his photography journey in college as a fashion photographer, and his talent has only grown since then. A polyglot, Rudney has lived in seven different countries, including Mozambique, Africa, which has inspired his work and added a unique perspective to his photography.
Rudney Novaes brings a powerful — or, as some might say — persuasive approach to photography. His imagery articulates the delicacies of love and luxury. Planners praise his unique ability to style and capture details while creating a space that evokes true emotions. It's an unparalleled match, a photographic finesse, you could say, that brings a new perspective to the wedding industry. This philosophy is led entirely by Rudney's standpoint that his work is not limited to mere photographs but, rather, is a matter of expressing what it means to be alive and to do so with grace and innovation.
As a multicultural LGBTQ+ wedding photographer, Rudney strives to be intentional and inclusive in his work. He believes in paving an artistic path that showcases and shifts how the world, and we as individuals, view race, gender, and sexuality. Rudney's dedication to these principles has earned him a reputation as a photographer who captures beautiful moments and helps promote a more inclusive and accepting world.
