Massive Flower Arrangement Is Encased in Layers of Ice

Frozen Flower Installation by Azuma Makoto

The frozen landscape of Hokkaido in Japan was adorned once again by one of Azuma Makoto‘s surreal installations. Using a colorful assortment of bouquets and plenty of water, the Japanese botanical artist created a towering frozen sculpture. All of the flowers and plants remain trapped in this striking form, still vibrant and in bloom, for as long as the layers of ice remain.

This is the second time Makoto produced Frozen Flowers; and just like the 2021 version, he traveled to the Notsuke peninsula in Hokkaido to set up the installation when winter was at its coldest point. So, he brought dozens of botanicals to a snowy clearing and assembled them atop a steel pole structure. After weaving the flowers into a cohesive form—all during the night and early hours of the morning—he poured water on top. Due to the freezing temperature, the water quickly froze over, preserving the plants and creating dozens of icicles hanging off each bloom and leaf.

When Makoto poses next to his work, we are able to get an understanding of the sheer scale of the structure, which looms tall in the barren landscape. He intentionally chose this empty area to install the multicolored sculpture, demonstrating the visual power of flowers in such extreme conditions. Their lives are dependent on the ice, and as soon as that melts, the flowers will eventually wilt with time.

You can watch a video of Azuma’s process via his website. Scroll down to see more images of this amazing piece, and follow the artist on Instagram to keep up to date with his latest projects.