The triennial flower festival Koket is taking place in Koksijde. Works of art and floral creations are on display in and around the town hall, on the theme of painter Paul Delvaux, who died 30 years ago and spent much of his life in the coastal town.
The exhibition starts in the council chamber, where naked silhouettes are displayed. This is a nod to Delvaux’s paintings, in which women play a central role. The trail continues past works by floristry students at PTI Kortrijk technical college.
“The showpiece is on the square in front of the town hall,” says Mieke Ghesquière of the Koksijde tourist office. “The square has been turned into a big garden that visitors can walk through. There is a train carriage, around which we’ve laid a track with flowers.”
There are also 15 boxes on display, containing a painting and a floral installation with a link to the art. Ghesquière: “We have the Paul Delvaux Museum here, the famous painter spent much of his life in Koksijde, so it is a tribute on our part.”
It has been a feat to get the thousands of flowers ready in time, according to Dries Vandewoude, of the town’s environmental department. “The biggest challenge will be keeping all those flowers equally spectacular until Monday,” he said. “Fortunately, florists have special preservation techniques for that. We are all proud. The result is worth it.”
The event runs until Monday.