The transience of life is central to the art of Ryusaku Matsuda, the great master of contemporary Japanese floral art. His large-scale installations are a cross between traditional Ikebana and Land Art. Although his own emotions are often the cause for the creation of a particular work, Matsuda does not consider himself to be an artist. The plants are the leading actors that write their own history, aided by time. Hence, for Matsuda, a work of art is not an object, but rather a snapshot in the course of a process. Ryusaku Matsuda does not make art for eternity, but rather hopes that his works will age and perish with him. This remarkable book is proof of the intriguing and philosophical but also visually staggering aspects of Matsuda’s art.