Azuma Makoto, Hermès
We are very proud to announce that Azuma Makoto & Shiinoki will be featured on the cover and chapter/theme pages of tl.mag’s new formula. More information and visuals will be released very soon. But for now an introduction to this floral sculpturer/artist.
Azuma Makoto was born in 1976 in the prefecture of Fukuoka, Japan. As a flower artist, he owns the Jardins des Fleurs in Tokyo and is renowned for his ‘haute couture’ plant and flower installations which have been exhibited worldwide since 2005. Recent exhibitions include ‘Distortion & Flowers’ and his botanical sculptures – work in progress – are continually evolving. As a tribute to Emile Gallé, and influenced by Japanese art and the anemone flower motif that appeared throughout the Art Nouveau period, Azuma also redesigned the Floral Edition of the iconic Belle Epoque Champagne bottle for Perrier-Jouët (see video below) which had not changed since 1902. Combining his knowledge of history with contemporary creation, Azuma endeavours to experiment in order to “increase the existential value of plants and flowers in botany by finding the most mysterious representations so that he can convert them into artistic expressions.” In his book “Encyclopedia of Flowers” (released in English by Lars Müller), Azuma works with his business partner Shiinoki, a botanical photographer, in order to visually explore his floral arrangements. Fragile, in metamorphosis, more than 2,000 flower species are featured in this extraordinary book. When flower design becomes pure magic!
A more recent collaboration is the current window display at Maison Hermès in Tokyo : ‘Jardin du Temps’ (Garden of Time), to be viewed until 22 January 2013.
More images & information about all the projects can be viewed on the Azuma Makoto facebook page or on the website.
All images : © Satoshi Asakawa / Courtesy of Hermes Japon
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