Queen of the Night
Public blooming
2008
During a performance at Kalmar Konstmuseum i staged the bloom of the Queen of the Night (Selenicereus grandiflorus) - a cactus species, very well known among potted plant hobbyists. Each Queen of the Night bloosom opens up during one night only. In the morning the flower withers. The blooming comes with a fragent reminding of orange-blossoms or vanilla.
The owner of a Queen of the Nigth about to burst out used to invite her neighbours and friends for coffee, and experience the nightly bloom toghether. This custom has been known since the latter half of the 19th century.
In 2008 a teacher at art schoool gave me a cutting of her Queen of the night. I am still waiting for it to bloom.