A Swiss-India Story In Bloom

It was an evening bathed in the fragrance and hues of bright beautiful flowers. The event was ‘Swiss Art Night: Switzerland India In Bloom’, where renowned floral artist Philipp von Arxcreated some exquisite flower installations at the Swiss Embassy’s Residence Garden and Atrium. The occasion marked 75 years of bilateral relations and friendship between Switzerland and India, and showcased the art and culture of both countries, offering a rare immersive aesthetic experience. With an unparalleled standard in floral craftsmanship, Philipp worked with his team of floral designers, Flowers to Arts, and Indian floral artists, Shreeram Kulkarni and Adarsh Suresh as well as bamboo artist Sagar D. Singh, to blend designs from the floral worlds of both countries. “We see the cooperation with the Indian florists as an important exchange that brings us closer to a different culture and expertise,” remarked Philipp.

Through the collaboration, Philipp adapted his floral artistry design concept to resonate with the Indian aesthetic. “We work exclusively with typical Indian flowers, such as carnations, marigolds, mokaras, anthuriums, dracaenas and gladioli. Many of these flowers commonly processed in India are very special for us Swiss people. We have to import these in Switzerland at great expense. We bring these into a design concept, which we have developed according to a trendy Swiss style. So, we combine the best of two worlds,” he explained.

Apart from the flowers, the décor also consisted of green date branches, monstera and palm leaves as well as heliconia hangings. Talking about his experience of working with Indian artists, Philipp emphasised the importance of mutual exchange and exploring their different cultural backgrounds. “I think design always has a lot to do with personal cultural background. It reflects our nature and thinking. Despite these differences, flowers are a language that connects us worldwide. Since we all speak the same design language, we quickly understood each other well – both on a style as well as personal level,” he said.

His Indian counterparts were equally enthusiastic about the partnership. “Collaborating with Philipp is like embarking on a captivating journey where every shared moment unfolds as a tapestry of intrigue and inspiration, weaving a unique narrative that resonates with creativity,” said Suresh. Singh felt that the extraordinary creative fusion allowed him to learn from Philipp’s unique vision while adding his own expertise. “Teaming up with Philipp brought an invigorating blend of excitement and fascination for me, akin to a captivating exchange of blossoms in a beautifully curated garden,” added Kulkarni.

This year's celebration also placed a special emphasis on sustainability. A small team of four people, including Philipp, travelled for the event from Switzerland. All the flowers used were obtained locally, and recycled for another project afterwards. The encounter also gave Philipp a chance to compare some of the floral traditions in Switzerland and India. “In India, many flower designers work in a very decorative fashion. We, at Flowers to Arts, endeavour to convey a message through our designs. At the Swiss Art Night, for instance, we worked completely asymmetrically. This is rather rare for India, where most flower designs are symmetrical,” he said.

Since 1802, Philipp’s family has been designing with flowers and plants. As a young boy, he would tie bouquets on the street and sell them along with his brother. One of his most memorable moments was winning a gold medal at WorldSkills at St Gallen, Switzerland, in 2003. Since then, he has been leading various seminars, workshops and presentations at fairs worldwide. “Designing is a passion that I have always carried within me. My floristic craft combines inspirations, sometimes in a daring, and sometimes playful way. My focus is always nature and the exchange, but also the examination of colours and the multifaceted character of flowers, leaves and stems, which ultimately need to be carefully fanned out,” he elaborated.

Further, Philipp also highlighted some multifaceted floral trends that captivate people worldwide. “I think a global trend is the special colour combinations one can create with flowers. Fragrant flowers are also very trendy universally. I personally find it very beautiful that flowers are ephemeral. It shows us that everything is finite, and we should appreciate the moment,” he concluded.

“We work exclusively with typical Indian flowers, such as carnations, marigolds, mokaras, anthuriums, dracaenas and gladioli. Many of these flowers commonly processed in India are very special for us Swiss people. We have to import these in Switzerland at great expense”