Encyclopedia of Flowers V

For more than a decade, this series has been the passion of floral artist Azuma Makoto and photographer Shiinoki Shunsuke. Its fifth volume was produced over a two-year period coinciding with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the midst of their work, the pair found a book about the origins of traditional ikebana. During a terrible famine in 15th-century Kyoto, a group of monks not only provided warm meals and shelter but also arranged flowers to give people comfort and hope. Moved by this episode and its resonances in the world today, Azuma and Shiinoki were convinced that they should return to the roots of their art, touching people through the pages of their book.