The maintenance and development of gardens, a support axis favored by patrons
The Perfumer’s Garden and the Kurkdjian House
As a patron, the Kurdjian House expresses its support for sustainable cultural and eco-citizen projects. The project of the Jardin du Parfumeur is the result of a creative synergy between perfumer Francis Kurkdjian and Alain Baraton, head gardener of the Trianon estate.
Open since May 30, 2023, this garden is composed of three distinct spaces: «The Garden of Curiosities», facing the Orangery which presents the vast majority of plants, «Under the trees» with a flowering alley of Japanese cherry trees and «The Secret Garden» more intimate atmosphere.
Many visits and workshops are offered to the general public, school students, students or associations, to make discover Versailles differently. Actions are being considered to learn and play with the species planted in the Châteauneuf nursery.
Francis Kurkdjian is a distinguished perfumer who began his career at the age of 25 by creating the fragrance Male for Jean-Paul Gauthier. He is now the head of the eponymous Maison de parfums, created in 2009 with its co-founder Marc Chaya.
Francis Kurkdjian and Versailles in a few dates
- Francis Kurkdjian trained at the Versailles perfumery school
- A few years later, he reconstructs the perfume of Marie-Antoinette The Queen’s Wake from historical documents
- On the occasion of the festival of Versailles Off in 2006, Francis Kurkdjian works with the Palace of Versailles to realize the olfactory installation Midnight sun scents of orange blossom fragrances around the colorful Orangerie pools
- In 2007 and 2008, he participated in several olfactory installations including Water Chutt in the grove of three fountains as part of the Great Nocturnal Waters
The Bru Foundation, committed to the restoration of the Water Buffet
Initiated by medical doctor Nicole Bru, the Bru Foundation is particularly active for support education and heritage. Created in 2005, this Swiss foundation supports projects around the world and stands out for its support for projects that outreach of French cultural heritage.
The Water Buffet, built in 1702 under Louis XIV, underwent a single renovation in 1892 before its restoration was launched in 2022. The latter made it possible to carry out a work on all its composition, restore the fountains and its waterproofing to finally requalify the approaches of the fountain after 18 months of work.
For Nicole Bru, this restoration embodies “the quality of the work, the spirit of companionship that we feel in this hive where everyone is active for the best and passion that reigns in the workshops.”.
Patronage at the Domaine de Versailles
The Kurkdjian House and the Bru Foundation: two examples of faithful and lasting commitment
Over the years, the Palace of Versailles has forged strong ties with its patrons in order to retain them. This is how the Maison Francis Kurkdjian and the Bru Foundation decided to commit exclusively on different projects.
Indeed, this is not the first time that Francis Kurkdjian has supported the Palace of Versailles as a patron. In 2020, it already decided to support the realization of flowerbeds inspired by African vegetation at the Grand Trianon through its namesake endowment fund.
Focus on the patronage of Francis Kurkdjian
It operates in different ways: support operated by the House Kurkdjian itself and personal support via its endowment funds:
- the Francis Kurkdjian Endowment Fund.
This endowment fund created in 2020, is positioned on research in contemporary creation, to the benefit of artists or audiences especially those far from culture.
Baptized Per fumum, “Through the smoke”, this endowment fund aims to contribute to the visibility of French olfactory heritage for experienced amateurs as well as audiences with little exposure.
The Bru Foundation, for its part, has also financed numerous projects on an exclusive basis:
- the restoration of the Trianon hydraulic loop which allows the Trianon fountains to be flooded more regularly
- the ephemeral garden echoing the marble of the Grand Trianon open from June to October 2023.
Multiple engagement opportunities for patrons
The patronage provided by the Maison Kurkdjian and the Bru Foundation is part of a more global patronage policy for the Versailles estate, which now extends to all areas of the establishment’s activities.
From the restoration of interior decorations, buildings and gardens, to the acquisition of works and furniture, including programming and cultural animation, educational and solidarity actions or the development of services made available to the public, A wide range of projects allows everyone to mobilize and engage alongside the teams of the Palace of Versailles.
In 2021, sponsorship resources represented a a quarter of the Versailles Public Establishment’s own resources. Restoration and acquisitions are also the most popular areas for patronage with 65% of the donations on these projects.
The words of Catherine Pégard
President of the Public Establishment of the Palace, the Museum and the National Domain of Versailles
The commitment of the patrons illustrates this particularity that Versailles represents through its history and its actuality. As always in the emergency, their mobilization is multiple, unusual sometimes. Companies and individuals, French and foreign alike, find in the immense diversity that makes Versailles the emblem of their passions or of the causes they serve.”
To learn more about the history of patronage at the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles:
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