ColumnAzuma Makoto translates the traditional art of Ikebana into a more contemporary form of sculpture.

“I said to myself, I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me – shapes and ideas so near to me – so natural to my way of being and thinking that it hasn’t occurred to me to put them down. I decided to start anew, to strip away what I had been taught. ”

-Georgia O’Keefe

In Japan, Ikebana, the ancient art of flower arranging, is a strict discipline, taught in hundreds of schools throughout the country.  As an experimental sculptor, Azuma Makoto converts the inherent mystery of flowers and plants into artistic expressions irregardless, or perhaps because of, traditional expectations.

His website explains Azuma’s philosophy:

He is interested in “making flowers/plants more alive” than they really are.
His viewpoint of completely accepting flowers/plants even as they start to rot, and not ignoring the “death” behind the “life” is at the heart of his work.
Azuma finds intangible and exhaustive elements, namely, sensuous and instantaneous factors such as music in flowers/plants, and expresses them in his works.

His artistic influences are not surprising as Azuma came to Tokyo in 1997 to play in a rock band.  While in that scene, he also worked at one of the biggest flower markets in Japan. In 2001, he opened a couture flower shop, and later, the now-defunct gallery AMPG, which for two years exhibited botanical installations every month.

His more radical experiments seem to inform the underpinnings of his work. Pieces burst with his passionate observations and manipulation of plant material from its fecund lusciousness to fascinating decay. Explore his website and blog for myriad ideas ranging from frozen flowers to explosions of blossoms contained in apothecary bottles.

Images: Azuma Makoto

Eco, trends, art, creativity and how they tumble through social media to shape culture fascinate EcoSalon columnist Dominique Pacheco. Her trends blog, mixingreality, speaks to these topics daily, and here at EcoSalon, she takes a weekly look at the intersection of eco and art. We call it heARTbeat.

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