shashasha

Bonsai embody several contradictions. They are natural objects forced into artificial shapes. They obey the will of their owner yet decide their growth freely. They take years to cultivate yet require daily attention.

In “Bonsai – Microcosms Macrocosms”, photographer (and trained oil painter) Masao Yamamoto captured the beauty bonsai – these essential Japanese objects – in fascinating, sepia-colored images. Utilizing different backgrounds (like the famous Mt. Fuji), techniques and styles, Yamamoto regards each of the trees in his photos with care and respect, accentuating their dual presence as artificial objects and fragments of nature.

The book concludes with an essay by bonsai artist Akiyama Minoru (in Japanese and English translation).