In our globally connected society, plants are a mobile species. Plants migrate between continents and cross borders – sometimes by accident, but more often as commodities sought for their beauty and their inherent cultural value. A mark of both celebration and sorrow, flowers have historically been used to acknowledge life, death and the passing of time.
A Chaotic Garden, by Azuma Makoto, defies the biological lifecycle of flowers and plants, reflecting the existential urge to conserve beauty and resist decay. Held in an ambiguous state somewhere between life and death, Makoto’s Block flowers, 2023, suspend biological specimens in time. Pausing the lifecycle of the flowers at the peak of their visual splendour, this work allows us to appreciate the beauty of each species and contemplate the competing values of immortality and temporality. In contrast to the static resin-cast flowers, Makoto’s Drop time video work presents the lifecycle of flowers in hyper-speed, time lapsed and shown in both forward motion and reverse. Set against a discordant soundscape, the video exposes us again and again to the mesmerising metamorphosis of flowers from bloom to wilt, celebrating each stage of the plants’ genesis and eventual decay.
