Venus In Ferns

As Florence, the author of a gardening advice column, teachers her flock gardening techniques, she reinscribes toxic gender scripts. However, despite her best attempts to domesticate nature, she finds Kingdom Plantae to be a queer destination.

I used real 19th century texts such as The Flower Garden by Ida Dandridge Bennet to write the lyrics and the dialogue. These texts are prima facia advice on how to manage a thriving domestic garden, however, as read from the present day, they are laughable in the obvious way they reinscribe toxic gender norms. One columnist even suggests catching tuberculosis as a way to mitigate the strength and color women get from working in their garden (Bennet, 34). In a series of musical numbers and ballet dances, we as the audience are taught how to water our hotbed and how to be a proper lady.  Ultimately our current obsession with self improvement comes into question. How will future generations read the self texts of our era? What absurd ideologies do we tout as self betterment? 

Venus in Ferns : A ballet of practical gardening lore.

Year: 2023

Medium: multi channel video, 16mm film

A dance satire set in a Victorian garden. As Florence, the author of a gardening advice column, teachers her flock gardening techniques, she reinscribes toxic gender scripts. However, despite her best attempts to domesticate nature, she finds Kingdom Plantae to be a queer destination. 

Credits

Directed by Laura Conway

Choreographer Elle Hong

Director of Photography Rigel Garcia

Music by Petite Garçon

Florence the Gardener Elle Hong

Ballerinas Elle Hong, Uli Miller, Claire Terhaar, Jesus David Munoz

Flautist Ben Donehower

Guitarist Anton Kreuger

Production Design Trinity Schenk

Costuming Andrea Skupuski

Additional Sound Anton Kreuger

Location Audio Dani Wasserman

Hair Stylist Gina Pugliesse

Gaffer Jesse Nyander

Grip Ryan Witbeck

1st Assistant Camera Myles Acquino

2nd Assistant Camera Olivia Cassalenuevo

BTS Photographer Lainey Smith, Adrian Conway Bennet

Crafty Charlotte Conway, Jenny Bramhall

Leg Dancers Charlotte Conway, Laura Conway, Andrea Skupuski, Dani Wasserman, Jesus David Muñoz, Elle Hong