Meet the artist that shot a bouquet of flowers 30,000 meters into space

Georgia McCafferty, CNN and Yoko Wakatsuki, CNN
5 minute read
Updated 9:51 PM EST, Mon December 5, 2016
Japanese artist Makoto Azuma uses nature -- from flowers to fungi and bonsai -- to create unique "living art". Trained as a florist, Azuma says he is both a florist and an artist.
Exobiotanica - Botanical Space Flight, 2014 —
Japanese artist Makoto Azuma uses nature -- from flowers to fungi and bonsai -- to create unique "living art". Trained as a florist, Azuma says he is both a florist and an artist.
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
In Exobiotanica, Azuma sent a pine bonsai and a mother's day bouquet into space and photographed them suspended against the earth. "Making just an art object was not a goal at all," says Azuma. "I thought I could make more beautiful flower art in the world of minus 60 degree Celsius."
Exobiotanica - Botanical Space Flight, 2014 —
In Exobiotanica, Azuma sent a pine bonsai and a mother's day bouquet into space and photographed them suspended against the earth. "Making just an art object was not a goal at all," says Azuma. "I thought I could make more beautiful flower art in the world of minus 60 degree Celsius."
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
"Originally Flowers exist in the nature in a way they should be. But I always thought that flowers shine even more or strike you with their beauty deeper in our minds when I stripped them out of their natural environment," says Azuma.
'Shiki1 x Sandstone' from Shiki: Landscape and Beyond, 2015 —
"Originally Flowers exist in the nature in a way they should be. But I always thought that flowers shine even more or strike you with their beauty deeper in our minds when I stripped them out of their natural environment," says Azuma.
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
Azuma is presently experimenting with making art with flowers in the deep sea. "The time needed for creation depends on the size of the work, but we cannot take tens of hours to work on flowers," explains Azuma of his work. "We need to build detailed plans and processes and create a piece in one go. I would not take more than 2-3 hours even for the biggest art work."
'Shiki1 x Glacier' from Shiki: Landscape and Beyond, 2015 —
Azuma is presently experimenting with making art with flowers in the deep sea. "The time needed for creation depends on the size of the work, but we cannot take tens of hours to work on flowers," explains Azuma of his work. "We need to build detailed plans and processes and create a piece in one go. I would not take more than 2-3 hours even for the biggest art work."
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
The artist works closely with a number of high-end fashion brands. "Fashion moves faster by absorbing the changes in society, much faster than flower culture does. It is very important to depict the mood of the current society and I learn to diversify my art work (this way)," he says.
FENDI and Azuma Makoto, 2015 —
The artist works closely with a number of high-end fashion brands. "Fashion moves faster by absorbing the changes in society, much faster than flower culture does. It is very important to depict the mood of the current society and I learn to diversify my art work (this way)," he says.
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
"Flowers come close to human feelings, but the human also needs to get close to flowers," says Azuma. "Flowers have been attracting human beings for a long time and that has never changed. The culture of mourning with flowers existed even before the language was established."
'Tsuge' from Leaf Man, 2015 —
"Flowers come close to human feelings, but the human also needs to get close to flowers," says Azuma. "Flowers have been attracting human beings for a long time and that has never changed. The culture of mourning with flowers existed even before the language was established."
Courtesy Azuma Makoto
"I do not care much what others say about me. When I try something new, there are many comments made. I hope that my work will change people's view of the flower and its beauty," says Azuma.
Botanical Installation 'Palm Tree x Algiers' —
"I do not care much what others say about me. When I try something new, there are many comments made. I hope that my work will change peopl