21.05.2026 – 31.01.2027
A lovely little bouquet is almost always a suitable gift for a host and is usually taken for granted – yet it is an expression of social relationships. Floral gifts follow traditional rules, norms and conventions, reflecting feelings, wishes and social roles: which flowers we choose, how and in what situations we present them, what floral gifts can reveal about the relationship between people, and what the recipient expects in return are just some of the questions addressed in the exhibition at the Museum of Folk Life. The presence of cut-flower bouquets, potted plants, dried flower arrangements, hand-picked or, more recently, home-grown flowers in everyday life also points to social, economic, ecological, and even religious or political contexts. For instance, fair working conditions in the flower industry or minimising the ecological footprint of roses and tulips – the most popular cut flowers in Austria – are increasingly coming under the scrutiny of critical consumers. The exhibition ‘Through Flowers: Stories of Gift-Giving’ explores past and present practices of gift-giving – interwoven with individual stories about flowers, which are always meaningful in some way, though not necessarily merely beautiful.
Through Flowers: Stories of Gift-Giving
21.05.2026 – 31.01.2027
Volkskundemuseum am Paulustor
www.museum-joanneum.at
