Joana Vasconcelos's Wedding Cake Installation at Waddesdon Manor

Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos (born Paris, 1971) is set to unveil a monumental outdoor installation titled "Wedding Cake" at Waddesdon Manor, a Victorian residence in Buckinghamshire built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1885. Commissioned by the Rothschild Foundation, the work is a giant three-tier wedding cake made of ceramic, reaching twelve meters in height. Visitors can explore the interior via a 45-minute guided tour, walking between layers of faux cream. The piece, conceived as "a temple of love," draws inspiration from Baroque and Rococo forms, echoing the Rothschild estate's architecture, and from Lisbon's ceramic tradition. Elements include putti, dolphins, mermaids, and arabesques in fake icing, with water features enhancing the composition. The installation took five years to complete and opens June 18, running until October 26. This is not Vasconcelos's first project for the foundation: her "Lafite" candelabras (2015) are in the Water Garden, and she participated in the 2012 exhibition "House of Cards" with "Pavillon de Thé." Additionally, her earlier work "Cup Cake" (2011) was displayed at the estate in 2016. Vasconcelos recently unveiled "Tree of Life" at Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, a thirteen-meter embroidered tree visible until early September.