The Winter Garden Reader

This reader is made in conjunction with the exhibition Florida, that took place at ‘t Gemaal in Rotterdam (NL) from 12 December 2009 to 24 January 2010. For the exhibition artist initiative ADA created a winter garden where people were invited to view the surrounding botanical display and to use the garden for coming together, meeting, talking, relaxing and reflection. Gardens are a marker of civilized life. They represent order and culture, express philosophies and support ideologies. Their design directs our gaze and choreographs our bodily movement in and through space. Gardens evoke scenes as much as they evoke the senses. They mimic nature and orchestrate illusions for the purposes of visual pleasure, but they also inspire and educate, hide and reveal, shelter lovers and honor the dead. This reader combines texts selected by ADA that relate to the topic of the winter garden.