Dimensions: 30 x 30 x 1.9 cm
Limited Edition of 350

Art direction by Shibuya Katsuhiko
Editorial direction by Wada Kyoko
Printing direction by Kumakura Keizo

ISBN 978-4-9912761-1-8

For more than twenty years, flower artist Azuma Makoto and botanical photographer Shiinoki Shunsuke have developed experimental creations using flowers and plants.

For their latest adventure in their project of flower expression, Azuma has used radiography as a new frontier. This is not an attempt to capture the superficial beauty of flowers, but to get at the depths of flowers and plants that cannot be seen by the human eye. The photography was done in conjunction with a radiologist and, as far as possible, a scientific approach was taken, eliminating artificial dramatization. By using an extremely primitive optical technique that sensitizes the subject directly, without the intervention of a camera or lens, Azuma was able to get close to the providence of the plant itself. In their projects until now, the duo has relied on external visual form of the botanical subjects. Their technique for this project visualizes internal structures in fine detail to reveal the delicate microstructures that support the vibrancy of plant and flower forms.

AZUMA Makoto
Flower Artist

Azuma teamed up with Shunsuke Shiinoki in 2002 to open JARDINS des FLEURS, a flower shop offering bouquets designed on-demand using flowers purchased for the respective order, in the Ginza area (now located in Minami-Aoyama) in Tokyo. In addition to the flower shop business, Azuma began to explore the expressive potential of plants in 2005. He invented the genre of the “botanical sculpture,” creating works for which he soon received orders also from outside Japan. Following a solo exhibition in New York, his audacious works have been repeatedly shown in Europe. While launching the experimental botanical lab Azuma Makoto Kaju Kenkyujo (AMKK) in 2009, he went on to internationally exhibit his works at art museums, galleries and public spaces. In recent years, Azuma has been focusing on projects that explore the connections between human beings and flowers. He continues to pursue the beauty of plants from his distinctive point of view.
http://azumamakoto.com/

SHIINOKI Shunsuke
Botanical Photographer

Shiinoki opened the “haute couture” flower shop JARDINS des FLEURS at Ginza together with Makoto Azuma in 2002. Around the time Azuma first started creating his botanical sculptures, Shiinoki began to point his camera at the ever-changing forms of life, committing himself to capturing such processes of gradual decay. Having been working with plants and observing the cycle of life and death on a daily basis, he developed an ability to highlight the genuine color, vital energy and mystique of flowers and plants as specifically natural qualities. 

In 2011, Seigensha published 2009-2011 Flowers, the first book showcasing the results of his collaboration with Azuma. After then, Shiinoki continues to capture every art work by Azuma and covers a wide range of mediums, as well video.

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