Lyrics of the Highland
From Japan's popular photographer comes this breathtaking photography book, ”Lyrics of the Highland.”
| Author | Makiko Akitsu (Author＆photographer), Kazuhiko Tajima (Art Director＆Designer) |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Yujin Kohobou Co. |
| Category | Arts & Photography |
| Publication | August, 2014 |
| Size | × mm |
(From the book’s Foreword)
More than a decade has passed since I moved to the highland region of Izu peninsula, some two hours southwest of Tokyo by train. Called the “flower peninsula” because of its abundant flora, the Izu highlands are a world apart from our lives in Tokyo.
Blessed with a temperate climate, thanks in part to the tropical waters of the Kuroshio Current, the flower peninsula is filled with an ever-changing panoply of colors, shadows and light due to the flower and plant varieties that thrive in this special microclimate that change from season to season. It was here in Izu, surrounded by the myriad flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors, that I became truly aware of how we are all connected to nature; we are all one with the natural landscape and are an integral part of its flora and fauna.
I also was fascinated at the uniqueness and beauty of each individual flower; it seemed to me as if each had a story to tell; a story of scintilla and scents. Some flowers are gorgeous and overflowing with color and fullness, others are delicate and reserved; some are evocative of luxuriance and brilliance, while others seem to speak to sense of longing and hope.
It was my awakening to this unification between humanity and the natural world, and the infinite varieties of beauty in the flowers of Izu that inspired me to begin taking photographs to express and share my feelings and perceptions. When I take an image of a flower, I am not just an observer, that is, I do not feel as if there is any separation between me and my subject, I feel that we are one.
To date, I have amassed over 100,000 images; the modest collection presented here represents a selection of my favorites. I hope they convey my sense of wonder for and oneness with the natural world as shown in the flowers of the Izu highlands.
Coalescence
Euphonious
Epicurean of the Sun
More than a decade has passed since I moved to the highland region of Izu peninsula, some two hours southwest of Tokyo by train. Called the “flower peninsula” because of its abundant flora, the Izu highlands are a world apart from our lives in Tokyo.
Blessed with a temperate climate, thanks in part to the tropical waters of the Kuroshio Current, the flower peninsula is filled with an ever-changing panoply of colors, shadows and light due to the flower and plant varieties that thrive in this special microclimate that change from season to season. It was here in Izu, surrounded by the myriad flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors, that I became truly aware of how we are all connected to nature; we are all one with the natural landscape and are an integral part of its flora and fauna.
I also was fascinated at the uniqueness and beauty of each individual flower; it seemed to me as if each had a story to tell; a story of scintilla and scents. Some flowers are gorgeous and overflowing with color and fullness, others are delicate and reserved; some are evocative of luxuriance and brilliance, while others seem to speak to sense of longing and hope.
It was my awakening to this unification between humanity and the natural world, and the infinite varieties of beauty in the flowers of Izu that inspired me to begin taking photographs to express and share my feelings and perceptions. When I take an image of a flower, I am not just an observer, that is, I do not feel as if there is any separation between me and my subject, I feel that we are one.
To date, I have amassed over 100,000 images; the modest collection presented here represents a selection of my favorites. I hope they convey my sense of wonder for and oneness with the natural world as shown in the flowers of the Izu highlands.
Coalescence
Euphonious
Epicurean of the Sun
About the Author
Makiko Akitsu was born in Akita city in northern Japan and received her M.A. in International and Cultural Studies from Tsuda University, Tokyo Japan. She spent two years living abroad in Seattle, and London. In 2004, she and her husband acquired a studio in the highlands of the Izu peninsula. Thereafter, she obtained qualification as a Color Coordinator(A・F・T) and apprenticed with three professional photographers intensively for several years. From 2009 to date, she has held six solo exhibitions of her work of the flowers at Musashino City Hall and a gallery in Ginza, both in Tokyo.
FOREIGN EDITIONS
| Publisher | 秋津マキ子 |
|---|---|
| Publication | August, 2014 |
