Human Flower Project

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Florathon—What’s the Rush?

Kuala Lumpur stages a 3 K “race” of two-legged flowers.

A pink lotus and other human flowers stroll the 3K

of Florathon in the Malaysian capital, Jan. 20, 2007

Photo: Agence France-Presse



This is our idea of a marathon—less than two miles to cover, everybody ambling along, and the contestants wearing (rather than headbands and clingy tank tops) pistils, leaves and petals.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism dreamed up The Florathon, which takes place today. It’s the exuberant opener of Floral Fest, which runs through February 4. “The judging for prizes will be based on theme, originality and effort. The event offers a total of RM26,500 ($7500 USD) cash prizes.” Anyone over age 13 can take part, no entry fee. Florathon organizers set seven award categories, including two special awards for tourists, female and male—a smart way to welcome more travelers and pull them off the sidelines.

With 2007 less than three weeks old, already Malaysia reports 600,000 tourists have come to visit this year, most of them from Asia. High temperature in Kuala Lumpur today should be a comfy 76 degrees.

A “school” of floral mermaids

lines up before the Florathon

January 20, 2007

Photo: Andy Wong, for AP

According to news reports somewhere between 600 and a thousand humanflowers covered the 3K route through the capital, among them a “mermaid” with sunflower scales and several couples with long, curling antennae. What a timely, non-bioengineered hybrid of people and plants, footrace and parade. We don’t know the Florathon winners but photos like these make prizes irrelevant. Who “wins” a spectacle?